Superstitious
by Fushigi-writer
Summary: Portland Oregon is filled with mysteries, many of which unsolved. Most profound of which centers around a man with the ability to see spirits but has long since grew a disdain for people. His name is August Octavius. He is a man that has long wanted the world around him to be better... as fate would have it, a certain witch is his greatest hope August has left.
1. Chapter 1

**Introductory and ****Disclaimer and synopsis:** Greetings reader and this is my passion project I am working on. I have aptly named the xxxHolic fanfiction Superstitious as a title. This little thing is supposed to be an AU for xxxHolic where Yuuko never actually died and is by all accounts an urban legend in this universe. Watanuki's story and development in the series as a whole has always been in the perspective of a teenager growing up and wanting to be rid of his ability to see spirits. In my own opinion, his story should have been long over and I might try to go into details as to why his story would have ended differently from the canon of xxxHolic would be for this fanfiction to answer in the coming chapters. August is the adult perspective that has long gotten used to spirits but has developed a different problem, people! August is going to be on a series of tasks and journeys and lessons from Yuuko herself and has unwittingly got himself caught in fate's clutches that will change him, for better or for worse.

**_XXXHOLIC  
_**_**SUPERSTITIOUS**_

_There are a great many things in the world. But no matter how odd, how incredible something may be. If a human does not touch it, if a human does not see it, if a human is not involved with it… it is simply something that happened, simply a matter that will fade with time. Humans, Mankind, Homo sapiens; Humans are the most profoundly mysterious living things in the world!_

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It was a cloudy dusk in Portland Oregon, a strange paradox of a big city practically surrounded by forests and in the shadow of Mount Hood. It resides close to the edge of the state towards the north side and it isn't too far away from the west coast via car, provided you have the gas for it. It isn't the biggest city on the west coast but it certainly is no stranger to oddities and curiosities, some in the surrounding forests, others of a paranormal nature that reside in the city itself. As the sun slowly sinks further down the horizon, things get more and more active, and those things that show themselves in the coming night are invisible to the population of people they share the city with.

Although, they are invisible to most everyone in the city of Portland Oregon, one such person can see them with his two light brown eyes that stare out the window at the invisible oddities that he knows are staring right back at him. His vision filled with what looks like a combination of a gaseous and fluid form with many eyes, none of them matching each other in neither color nor size. His own brown eyes furrowed at the invisible thing; he knew what it was and what it wanted, he knows it's hungry. He held up a charm, made of silver and has the shape of what looks like an Eagle that was on his necklace, the liquid-gas mass of eyes reacted to the sight of the charm as if flinching then it drifts off in the cityscape looking for something easier for it to take.

"That's right, you freaking spirit. Buzz off." He muttered. He smirked, satisfied that his charm that he had received still worked. In contrast to his light brown eyes, he has a head of messy royal blue hair. Despite his oddly colorful appearance, wearing a tie-dye shirt that's predominantly black with a brown vest along with his silver eagle necklace, he has the signs that he doesn't get a whole lot of sleep as evident to the bags under his eyes due to being up multiple nights.

"What's going on, August?" Another person across the table asked, confused with what he was doing with his necklace and him looking out the window like he's annoyed with something. His voice was an English accent. The man in front of August has dark brown hair with equally dark brown eyes. He wore a plaid shirt on top of a red shirt.

August, realizing that his friend across the table noticed his behavior in front of him quickly looked back at him. "Oh I'm sorry Markus. I sort of thought I saw something outside the window." August answered. "So, earlier you said something about seeing something on Reddit or something?"

August and Markus were sitting in a restaurant, a Red Robin's to be precise, they've just placed an order for their food.

"Yeah, some urban legends I've been searching up. Interesting stuff from what I've read." Markus replied.

"Cool, anything that caught your eye?" August asked. "I mean I've seen some pretty spooky shit myself."

"Clearly; you've been up all night again!" Markus remarked, pointing at the bags under August's eyes.

"You know I'm an insomniac. I can't help it." August pointed out. He yawned after making his defense and he grimaced, somewhat embarrassed about his condition.

"See." Markus stated while smirking. "Anyway, most of what I've gotten around with was cryptids and some supernatural things."

Markus shivered at the thought of one post that he saw that still sticks with him.

"The Hell Hound?" August asked, knowing full well Markus had a fear of the massive black dog.

"Yes." Markus squeaked.

"Anything else come to mind? I know there are things out there that are less scary than that." August reassured, trying to get Markus' mind off of what scares him.

Markus snapped out of his fear and nods with a smile. "There was one post that I have read that seems the most interesting." Markus leaned in forward. He asks. "Have you ever heard of the Witch of Wishes?"

August raises a brow. "Isn't that like a genie or something?"

Markus shook his head. "Someone a whole lot more than that, had seen some pretty interesting stories from people that have met her." Markus stated. "She grants wishes to people that only ever actually have a need for her."

"Seems pretty ordinary to me." August said.

"That's the thing, though; a lot of the people that had a wish granted from her always had a strange set of circumstances." Markus exclaimed. "I'm not talking about trivial stuff like food or stuff that are material needs. The wishes that she grants are kind of… out there."

August smirks; he's seemingly interested in the subject regarding the Witch of Wishes.

"She granted a wish for someone that actually worked for her for a bit so that he would no longer see or be troubled by spirits." Markus explained.

August snorted, curious as to why someone would actually throw away such ability. "You mean he wanted to not be able to see spirits anymore?" He said. "I have a million wishes in my head, top one would be to-"

"To have things be right with the world again." Markus cut August off, finishing his sentence. "We both want that. You've been saying that a lot, and dare I say you said some stuff that's a bit worse than that."

August nods, forlorn to the issues that have been going on in his life. The spirits, while at times a bother, he would prefer the company of spirits than take another look at the decaying world that surrounds him. Other than his close friends, he has become something of a misanthrope. "I have, I know. Lately, things aren't going in ways that it should, I don't like that."

Before they could continue their conversation, their waiter has their food at their table. They've gotten their food and quieted down their banter to enjoy their food.

After eating, August and Markus left the restaurant. The both of them were heading to August's car which was an SUV. The Subject had since changed from the supernatural stuff to how things were for Markus.

"You and Nina doing well I take it?" August asked having some interest in their relationship.

"Year two and still things are going good between the both of us. I plan on taking her out for dinner this weekend as she's off that time." Markus exclaimed.

"Cool." Said August; smirking at his relationship with his girlfriend whom to his knowledge has family from India.

"Our anniversary should be coming up in a couple months. I plan to make a very special cake to commemorate our two years together." Markus added. "Still trying to come up with how the cake should look though."

"You got plenty of time, Markus." August reassured him. "I'm certain that you'll come up with something romantic for Nina with the cake design."

"You really think so?" Markus asks.

"Of course, you're a cake designer and a pretty good cook after all." August replied.

"Designing cakes for people is one thing; but Nina? This is kind of hard for me." Markus said.

"Ok, do you know what she likes for her cake?" August asks.

"She likes marble cake with chocolate frosting." Markus answered easily.

"And there you have it." August said. "You're already halfway in making the cake by knowing what she likes."

They've gotten to the SUV and drove off, out of the parking lot and towards Markus' neighborhood to drop him off to his house. Once at his house, Markus exits the passenger side car.

"We'll hang out again next week. I've got a lot on my plate for the rest of this one, plus the date." Markus exclaimed.

August simply nods and smiles to Markus' proposition. "See you then, work's been good so far on my end so I know what you mean."

The both of them made their fair wells and August drove off back to the city to simply drive about, taking the scenic route back to his apartment building. There was of course something itching in the back of his mind. The Witch of Wishes had wormed its way back into his brain and he pondered for a moment. '_She'll grant a wish to anyone that is in need._' August thought in his head. His thoughts lingered and asked many questions. '_I'm a person in need, how is it that she hasn't come to help me out yet?_' August pondered more.

Before he could finish pondering, he comes to a red light to see a mass of purple in the sky, where the night sky should be. The purple mass fluidly flowed towards a different direction, almost wishing to avoid something else in the area. "What in the world?" August thought out loud. He looks ahead some blocks away to see two figures facing each other in a way that reminded him of two gunslingers at high noon in the middle of town ready to make the first move against the other to take the first shot in some of the older movies he had seen. They looked so far away but so very close at the same time. One seemingly dressed in an all-black get up with details too hard to make out from either the distance or the darkness of night obscuring the true details of the figures uniform. However the other figure he could definitely tell had better detail to make out as that figure looked like he was wearing the pelt of an animal of sorts, maybe a wolf or a coyote, he can see that the pelt's front paw looks almost like it was dangling from the side. No, that's his arm shifting along with the pelt of the animal. August almost instantly realized what the other one was that another friend of his warned him about on top of countless internet horror stories he had the pleasure of listening to.

'_A Skinwalker!_' August thought in horror. The light seemed to of stayed red for almost eternity as August was witnessing what looks like a showdown between two particularly powerful individuals. He then looks back at the figure in black only to see that the figure was looking at August with the head turned with eyes on him as if looking directly into his soul. From the face, the figure definitely is feminine as he could discern that she has long black hair and her skin judging from her face was very light. The biggest distinguishing feature of this woman in black were her eyes despite the distance and seeing that her eyes were half-lidded in a look of what can only be described as confidence, her eyes were definitely red. Seeing now that the woman ahead of him has the eyes of red, looking at him clearly seeing him only made him even more scared.

'_Leave._' The woman's voice rang in August's head as if she was right next to him. What felt like an agonizing five minutes which turned out to only be a minute and a half, the light turned green. Heeding the woman's single word, August floored it and made a turn with a screech of his tires away from the two of them getting away from what was about to be a clash. August drove back to his apartment so fast, he didn't care what the speed limit was; he wanted to be away from that scene. Upon parking and making a beeline into his apartment, August barricaded his door to his apartment wishing to not let in the Skinwalker despite the red eyed woman scaring him more.

"I'm going to be up all night because of that shit." August murmured to himself.

The vision of the two figures facing each other now etched into his mind. The only thing that August knew how to cope with this, the web. What perked his curiosity that seemed to be a thing of comfort to his mind was the Witch of Wishes, and he surfs the web to do some research that after hearing some stories of this particular witch, his search has now gone to random subjects that soon after pushed most of the knowledge to the back of his mind. As soon as he's mind was at ease, he looks at the clock to see that it was four in the morning. August turns his computer off and plays relaxing ambiance to help him sleep with what he can. Little to his knowledge, destiny would bring him to the Witch of Wishes and August would have a wish.

**_Four days later, Friday_**_.~_

August, hard at work in an office building, was mopping the restroom floor. There was a hint of irritation in his mopping as he was doing his job. He had recently learned that his longtime manager had been canned due to a tweet over the net that, while mundane in nature, was taken out of context and had been effectively mobbed out of his job. His old manager was replaced by a different one that he immediately could smell the stench of vanity and arrogance that reeked with his presence. Unfortunately for August, he was the only one that saw such a horrendous aura around him visually in the form of a cloud that could only match the stench August could smell. That was only two days ago that his manager had been replaced.

The whole of the offices were split on that issue. Some of them actually liked the new blood that was introduced for the management position, while others were actually fearful of their own job security because of the new manager. The latter of the two groups couldn't be more correct. There was a series of layoffs in the office August worked in and slowly was being replaced by people that were like minded with the manager in power. So far, they didn't pay too much attention to the building's custodians as they were considered beneath notice, and August was one of them. To him, this was a good thing so far but he isn't sure how much longer he could take the stench as he is seeing it from not just the manager but from the new hires as well.

Once he got done cleaning the restroom, making certain that it was spotless, he had exited the door only to be greeted by one of the new hires with the aura that reeks.

"Mr. Frederickson wants to see you now." She said, in a tone that August could tell that she did not like him for whatever reason.

"Oh? What does he want with me?" August raised a brow and furrowed the other, confused as to what finally drew his attention to himself.

"That's for you to figure out, smart ass!" She replied then walked off back to her office seemingly stomping off leaving August both confused and irritated.

He held both his hands up in a shrug with confusion written upon his face. "The hell did I do?" August muttered. He really wasn't sure of what he really did that got the manager's attention much less certain on what he's in trouble for.

With his heart pounding and his mind preparing for the worst case scenario, he heads on over to the manager's office. He could see and smell that a fair amount of the office was filled with that unpleasant aura of the new workers that occupied where the old ones used to be. Past all of the noxious clouds he could see that the ones that ones that were overflowing with that cloudy aura were hardly doing their share of work while others were absent mindedly on their smartphones, not that he hasn't been on his own phone for lengths at a time but this was a work place environment. It was already looking bleak for his office and in some ways he may actually be better off out of there.

Once August arrived to the office, Mr. Frederickson pointed to a seat in front of the table. The noxious aura had seemed to of gotten bigger but he could definitely see his face past the clouds. "What exactly is the issue, Mr. Frederickson?" August inquired, still irritated and nervous.

"I believe you should already know why you're here… or rather what you did to me all the way back in High School!" Mr. Frederickson leaned forward and pointed out to his three scars on his face that was very close to his left eye.

August squints his eyes to look carefully at his manager's face only to finally register who the man really is and he actually grins as he recognizes him. "Oh, you're the guy that I punched so hard in the face that you flew across the hall and hit your head on the locker on the opposite side." August said smugly. "Now I know who you are, Jimmy Frederickson."

"An iron clad memory you got there, August Lee Octavius." Jimmy chided coldly. "I was scrounging up some money I was trying to save and you just up and destroyed my face."

August snorts in disgust to the false memory. "Really, because it looked more like you were about to up and murder a friend of mine in High School over some stupid crap about homework or lunch money." He scoffed. "You, rightfully so, had the tar beaten out of you by my own fists that day and I enjoyed every bit of it."

This had shocked Jimmy for a brief moment at August's real memories of the day and his real feelings about beating him up. Then he was getting angry.

"Oh, what's the matter? Did the management position they put you in had put you in the same building as the guy that whipped your ass twelve years ago?" August mocked pity towards his friend's old high school bully only to give him an insulting smug smile.

In a fit of rage, Jimmy slammed on his desk with his fist. "You're fired!" He shouted.

August was actually cackling at this point, he realized he got into Jimmy's head.

"And stay out of my office!" Jimmy roared filled with fury.

"Say no more." August responded smugly. "Kind of wanted to get out of this mess the moment you stepped into this building."

After that, August left the manager's office now unemployed, although he didn't really care at the moment. He was grinning ear to ear knowing full well he made his friend's old bully lose his cool. August was skipping on out of the building. He turned around to throw his last insult to Jimmy.

"Hope those souvenirs I gave you stay longer, Jimmy!" August shouted towards the building he left. He then turns around and walks off, his expression went from all smiles to bewilderment. "Sheesh, I can't believe the guy actually remembered me after all this time."

Coming to terms with the fact that he is effectively unemployed and his now former place of business of four years may not have the best people to put up as references to find a new job. August comes into a coffee shop to recover from his newfound issue that has been introduced. He internally debated with himself as to whether or not inform Markus of his problem but at the same time he realizes that he may still be working at this time. Instead, he simply leaves Markus a text message.

'I just lost my job. I'm going to be looking for a new one.' August sends the text to Markus.

He sighs; August had almost forgotten how much he hated job hunting. It wasn't simply because of the amount of effort involved in it, but his ability despite it being a gift of seeing spirits and other invisible things it was also a major barrier to him as he knows that no one else can see them but August. Some people don't tolerate weakness while others are simply close minded; it had always been in August's assumption. He wasn't one for showing weakness; much less ask for pity because of his ability growing up and having to learn to live with it.

August left the coffee shop after eating a bagel with mocha in hand to help him wake up a little more. He didn't have long to travel to work; in fact he had walked to work numerous times despite having a car. Of course now he has to go look for a new job.

As he was walking about to his apartment, he couldn't help but hear what could only be described as the crashing of waves in the ocean. This bothered him so much that he had to look up, only to be greeted by a purple shifting mass that had taken notice of him. August sees the spirit and grinned and reached into his pocket to grab his charm to ward off the spirit. Then he checks his other pocket. Then his back pockets. And then both his shirt pockets. And then his pants pockets again. August was growing paler and paler as he realizes now that he had left his charm back in his apartment in another set of pants.

"So uh, wanna call a truce?" August sheepishly and humorously pleaded with the big, cloudy, purple mass of eyes that now gurgles at him. The spirit was hungry. August's big toothy grin faded away as it wasn't leaving.

As soon as the spirit got closer to August, he had dropped his mocha and has made a mad dash to get to his apartment not wishing to become its meal. The massive purple mass was hot on his heels flowing seamlessly towards him with frightening speed. August was weaving past people as he sprinted as his life depended on it.

To the passerby witnessing this, all they would see is August running like a mad man and are unsure if he's in trouble or if he is the trouble. Regardless, they wanted nothing to do with it and simply stepped aside and away from him.

"Sweet Mother of Jesus, I'm almost there!" August shouted as he was sprinting to his apartment.

It's so close now, just a few more yards away and he's inside. He was smiling with hope. Then out of nowhere, a second mass of purple and eyes came oozing rapidly out of the alley way and now looking at August with hunger in its eyes too.

"Shit!" August screamed. His one way ticket to safety has been cut off by the second spirit that showed itself to him and now on pursuit to get him too.

He skids, and then takes a different direction going left away from both the spirits chasing after him. He was now running to where ever his legs could take him to safety quick enough. While there were places he could have easily ran inside to, but he knows full well that he had already made a fool of himself just for running away from something everyone else can't see. He is running just to stay alive. He went through many streets and swerved in many different directions just to try and lose them; it wasn't working as from one moment of peace and quiet and relief, just to only lead to another chase from the spirits that had effectively made August run almost everywhere in a small part of Portland.

"Oh shit! Oh shit! Oh shit!" August shouted among other obscenities as he was fleeing from the spirits that hungered for him. He looked behind himself to see that the two spirits were gaining on him and it seemed like they both merged together to make a bigger spirit as a trick of the eye on his part. He kept running away from the two spirits… only to be cut off by a third mass of purple and eyes that was coming ahead. August skidded to a stop and was now slowly going to one side of the street, he was exhausted but was hoping for a way out of the three masses of purple; no such luck.

He backs himself onto a painted wooden fence, he was cornered, and he was going to be munched on.

"We can talk about this, big fellas. Ya'll don't have to eat me." August pleaded as he was panting for breath. The running has taken a toll on his energy and he has no strength left to run.

The three purple masses drew closer to him, slowly, and savoring the moment as they gurgled more. Their sharp toothy maws opened wide and were about to lunge and tear August up. His eyes were shut and had accepted his fate as ectoplasm goop the moment they opened their mouths. However, instead of feeling eviscerated by the three masses of purple and eyes, he heard a squealing sound like a mix of pigs and some twisted monstrous sounds he could only describe were from a movie. He could only attribute this to them being struck with a great amount of pain. He opened his eyes to see that they faded away or floated away from him.

August collapsed onto the sidewalk and leaned against the wooden fence. He sighs in relief. "That... was too close…" August murmured to himself. He was going to take a moment to catch his breath and closes his eyes. He opens his eyes and his brows furrowed. "Why exactly did they leave me alone here?"

He finally stood up after some moments of resting, his legs felt like jelly after running for so long. He rubs both his legs upon standing up as the adrenaline was leaving his system. After that, he looked to gain his bearings on where he is at. August looks around then looks beyond the fence and realizes that he had never actually seen this place before. In fact, he had driven by this very spot and there wasn't a hint of anything being made in what was an empty plot of land. He goes to where there is an entry point at the fence to get a better look at what lies beyond the fence. His eyes were now filled with wonder.

August looks and beholds the oddest looking house in Portland. It has the look like it was mixed with Victorian style architecture with Japanese influence to its appearance. He looks at the posts flanking the entryway and the top of what is supposed to be the tower and the top of the roof of the main house, seemingly a crescent moon motif he notices. The surrounding area within the fence where the house is almost reminds him of the Chinese garden that is in Portland.

"That's some curious architecture." August mumbled.

From inside the house in a room, seeming to know that there is a person just outside the house. She holds her hand out and gestures with her pointing finger in a '_come here_' motion.

Before August could make a few more observations of the house, his own legs seem to have a mind of their own and started to walk him towards the house. "What in the- holy crap!" He shouted as his own legs seem to want him to go into the house while he held onto the post of the fence to try and stop himself from intruding on someone's house due to his legs apparently being possessed and having a will of their own. His fingers slipped from the post and now he is effectively fighting his own legs just to not go into the house, using his arms and hands to leverage his legs to go the other direction, away from the house. To the passerby that is around him, this would have been humorous if not bordering on to embarrassing, thankfully though, no one seems to be paying attention to his own fight with his own legs. Seemingly though, his legs stopped having a mind of their own, but at the same time the doorway to the house has slid open. The doorway has revealed two girls that look in a lot of ways very much alike in demeanor, facial structure, and age while at the same time have a very different appearance from one another; regardless, they look kind of cute.

One has short pink hair with short pigtails dressed in white with little wings in the back, looking like an angel. The other has long sky blue hair with long curly pigtails dressed in mahogany, complete with bat wings in the back looking almost like a devil. "Welcome to our humble abode!" The both of them cheerfully greeted. The two of them gestured to the entry way, welcoming August to the house, inviting him in.

August stood puzzled for a moment, but immediately shook his head upon seeing that he was on someone's property. "Thanks, but I should be heading on out of here." August said politely to the two children. "Sorry for intruding."

The two girls looked at one another, with smiles, as if planning a prank as they were giggling.

"It's a customer for the mistress." The blue haired girl said excitedly.

"It's a customer for the mistress." The pink haired girl said excitedly.

August was about to leave but was almost immediately stopped by his own legs from leaving the property. It was as if his own legs didn't want to leave the property of the house until he does what the legs wanted. Annoyed by this, August sighs, and when he turns around he wears a warm smile for the two girls that greeted him.

"Alrighty then, care to present me to your mistress?" August inquired to the two children, humoring them. He already expects a playful response from the two of them.

Like clockwork, the two children seemingly prancing about and holding his hands and escorting him into the house. Once inside the odd house, after slipping off his shoes, August was unsure of the situation he has gotten himself in. One instance, he was practically chased all around Portland by spirits, and now he has found himself in someone's house all thanks to an unseen force causing his legs to come to the house. The sound of the two girls giggling filled the halls all the while escorting August to where their mistress is. They are closing in on what seems to be the doorway that leads to where their mistress is.

"I don't understand." He ponders to himself out loud. "All of this feels very off."

"That is because this is Hitsuzen." A voice from beyond the stylized sliding doors answered to August's words. This had sent shivers up and down his spine; the mistress very likely had heard him talk to himself out loud. The voice that responded to him sounded soothing and gentle, yet it was also seductive and enticing, with a semblance of being playful yet serious. "You have come here because you have a strong desire for something."

Once at the door, the two girls slid the sliding doors open to let August in the smoky room that now reveals the owner of the voice. Lounging on her couch throne, the woman wears a red kimono with white flower patterns all over it with a massive beige bow holding the kimono together as it seems to be loosely worn as it reveals her long legs and her cleavage which is covered in a stylized purple bra. Her large sleeves loosely held onto her arms revealing more of her light skin. Her jet black hair seems to endlessly stream out with the same grace and unpredictability as a river. She was holding an equally stylized long pipe and was smoking from it, August wasn't sure if it was tobacco she was smoking or something else as the aroma of the room didn't have the telltale odor of smoke. She was looking away from him but August almost immediately recognizes her red eyes, that four days ago looked intimidating now they seem to mesmerize him. She is beautiful.

He didn't know what to say to the woman, almost taken aback by her beauty to the point of almost not being able to speak. "Hitsuzen?" was the only thing that escaped August's lips, as if he didn't wish to disturb the sound of silence in the room. His expression the entire time was the look of being entranced.

Once she heard August speak, understanding that he didn't quite know the phrase, she looks at August, now with both her red eyes on his light brown. A smile showed on her face that compliments her half-lidded stare. "Hitsuzen: A naturally foreordained event. A state in which other outcomes are impossible. A result which can only be obtained by a single causality and all other causalities would necessarily create different results." She explained before sitting up on her couch throne. "Of course, if it is easier for you to understand, you could call it destiny, fate, the inevitable; whichever one is easier for you to call it. There are no coincidences in this world. Everything happens for a reason."

Seemingly at awe with the woman's speech as he was looking at her red eyes that still mesmerize him. August, shortly after her explanation, snaps himself out of it blinking really hard until he was sure he wasn't actually hypnotized himself for looking too deeply into her stare. His eyes opened again to see that she was still there, looking at him, smiling.

"Do forgive me; I've had a pretty rough morning and afternoon. I had lost my job after realizing they had replaced my old boss with someone far worse. On top of that I was chased around by very hungry spirits all over the place before coming here." August explained apologetically. "If you were the one that had somehow shooed away the spirits from me, thank you for that. I wasn't sure if I was going to see the light of another day."

"You should thank the fence then." The woman replied; flattered that August thought she saved him. "It has a protective barrier surrounding this home."

"I see. I'm still sorry for troubling you though." August said.

"May I see your ring?" The woman in the red kimono asked, looking at August's ring on his finger.

Hesitant about the woman's intentions with his ring, he slips it off and hands it to her. It was a silver class ring with an emerald adorning the top part of the ring. August has had the ring for a full decade.

She examines August's ring, looking at all the details on it. "Your name, please." The woman inquired.

"Huh?" August was confused at first.

"I've asked you for your name." The woman spoke up.

"August Octavius." He answered.

"Is it true, that you were born in August?" She asked.

"Not the most creative name for me but yeah. I was born on the eighth of August." He sheepishly stated. Now he became embarrassed his own name practically became a cliché in of itself.

The woman's smile widened, seemingly amused by August's honesty. She was laughing. "You're the second person I know now that told me, a complete stranger no less, your name and birthdate!" She said. The children seem to laugh along with her. August failed to notice that the two that escorted him had come along to be with their mistress.

He scratches the back of his head, puzzled by what she meant. "Um, ok? In my defense, you seem like a really nice lady." August pointed out but was now slowly becoming uneasy as to what she has in mind.

"Giving your name and birthday to someone grants the person the ability to control your fate and destiny. After all, names have power." She explained.

This made August gulp. Now he is definitely unsure of her intentions. He finally mustered up the courage to ask. "What's your name then since you know my name now?"

"Yuuko Ichihara." The woman with the red eyes stated matter-of-factly. "Of course, it is an alias."

August raises a brow, even more confused but he now knows what name to call her by. He can't help but get the itchy feeling that he had in fact heard the name before.

"Are you the Witch of Wishes?" August hesitantly asks. "I've seen that name around and I couldn't help but wonder if it was true."

Yuuko nods. "It is true, I have gone by many different titles and I assure you they all hold true to me." Said Yuuko now smiling knowing that August now knows who she is as a person with such titles. She points to both the children, wishing to introduce them to August, pointing to the blue haired one first. "This is Maru" Then she points to the pink haired one. "And this is Moro."

August smiles thinking that those must be pretty cute names for the cute kids.

"Of course their full names are Marudashi and Morodashi. Cute names huh?" Yuuko cheerfully explained as Maru kissed Yuuko's cheek as Yuuko was laughing.

August, despite failing a course in Japanese had some understanding to what the names actually meant and he cringed. Now he prefers just referring to the children as Maru and Moro. "I'll stick with Maru and Moro." August said. "I gotta be honest; I still don't know why I am actually here. It's confusing the heck outta me."

"Maru! Moro! Bring me the water dish." Yuuko requested the twins. She took a puff from her pipe and exhales the smoke in a smooth stream.

"'Kay!" The two said in unison and grabbed the dish from a hidden area of the room for their mistress to use.

August now definitely smells the tobacco and does his best not to smell it or inhale it without showing.

"Now that introductions are in order, I'll help you understand why you are here." Yuuko declared. Once the twins have brought the water dish over in front of their mistress to use, she takes out what looks like a mandala or a magic circle as August notices it has a moon and a stylized eye motif to it. Yuuko places the object in the center of the dish and it seems to spin on its own. Yuuko kneels down and looks into the mandala seemingly focusing on it. August kneels also and was about to behold something mystical.

"August Octavius… Au-gust Oc-ta-vi-us." Yuuko slowly chanted softly. Her long jet black hair that was streaming down her back now seems to flow upward and branch out and slither through the air as if they had just become snakes. "From the moment you were born, you've experienced many abnormal things, some occult in nature and some hardships many go through. You have come out strong, dependable, wise even; but you have much to learn. You live on your own and have struggled to stay afloat, however, those same struggles have made you stronger for it in the end, it is perfectly natural to experience such things and you have known that you were not alone. What makes you different from most people… is that you see spirits." Her voice echoes through the room. August looks up to see that Yuuko is looking at him with her half-lidded red eyes with a knowing smile on her face. They seem to both mesmerize him now as before and peer into the very depths of his soul. August's heart was beating rapidly as he is staring into her eyes also. "You used to have trouble with such a gift but you have since learned to deal with it. It's a gift to some and a curse for others that can't deal with such a power. However, I do see something else." She frowns sympathetically. "You have seen and experienced things that were out of your control, none of it supernatural but rather society. You have seen wrong doings that go unpunished; there were things that used to be mundane but are now cause for hysteria. Because of the world that you know now, a darkness resides in your heart as your view on humanity has been tainted and twisted to the point of severe damage."

"Is all of this… so easy to tell?" August asked Yuuko, still looking into her eyes. There was a hint of despair in his voice.

"It is." Yuuko replied, her voice still echoing. Then she gives August a warm, reassuring smile. "Do not despair; you have a good heart that wants to fight back the darkness within and you have always been a kind and loyal friend to some people that you have been close to. You should already know by now; there are no such thing as coincidences in this world, there is only the inevitable."

The witch's hair calms down. Yuuko's expression changes from calm and serious to playful and mischievous. "And now, I'll be keeping this lovely ring of yours!"

August was still mesmerized up until he heard Yuuko say exactly what he thought she said. He shook his head, snapping himself out of the trance he found himself in and back to reality. "That's my class ring!" August protested.

"Maru. Moro. Take this ring to the treasure room." Yuuko hands the ring to Maru. The twins then go running out of the room with August's ring, giggling amongst themselves. August attempted to chase them to retrieve his ring but As soon as the girls left the room, the sliding doors have slid shut stopping August in his tracks.

"What the hell did I get myself into with all of this!?" August mumbled loudly. He is starting to get irritated. "What kind of place is this!?"

"It's a shop." Yuuko stated plainly.

"Huh!?" August looks back at Yuuko. Now curious by what she actually meant.

"The merchandise is wishes." Yuuko explained.

"Wishes, like genie in a lamp sort of wishes?" August inquired as he raises a brow.

Yuuko leans forward with a smirk worn on her face. "Far more to it than that, I'm afraid." She answers. She smokes from her pipe, again, blowing a smooth stream of smoke. "You see, I require compensation in order for the wish to come true. It also must be of equal value to the wish. Nothing more, nothing less, perfectly balanced." Her expression has turned more serious. "Otherwise… harm will be done."

Yuuko has stood up and she comes up to August. He had never quite realized that she was actually fairly tall, meeting eye level with him in fact. Yuuko's half-lidded red gaze settled on his brown eyes once again, looking deep into his very soul and making him metaphorically entranced by her eyes. Her slender fingers gently brush his cheek and slides down under his chin; Yuuko's very touch has made him shiver in a way that was oddly pleasant. Seduction comes very easy for her.

"Harm to… what?" August asks having the primordial fear build up within him despite being practically hypnotized by the woman's gaze and charm as his heart was pounding. His cheeks were faintly pink due to her touch.

She chortles, to what, the blush or the question, August wasn't sure but that had also sent a pleasant shiver down his spine. "Harm… harm to the body in the physical world, your fortune in the spiritual realm, and your soul in the heavenly kingdom. There must always be perfect balance and equivalence." Yuuko stated.

To him, a lot of that made sense. He didn't know why but it did to him. "Yeah." He unconsciously and quietly uttered in agreement to Yuuko's statement about balance.

Yuuko withdraws her hand from August's face. He was still momentarily mesmerized again before he scrunches his eyes and shook his head, snapping himself out of it. She chuckles to this. "That attractive, am I?" Yuuko coyly asks.

He nods. "You are, you are." August answered, both embarrassed and feeling like a fool for being so honest. "Sorry about that. You seem to have that effect on me, I don't know why."

"It's alright." Yuuko gently replies. "You're far from the only person that I've had that effect on."

August smiled crookedly, that made him feel a little better.

She comes back to her couch throne to have a seat on it and leaned on one of the edges of her throne. Her eyes seem to focus intently on him now, as if curious of what his heart's desire may be. "So tell me, what is your wish?" Yuuko asks.

That question had him thinking, quite a lot. He has had multiple different wishes in his head, despite the fact that he knows that there must be a way to balance out the wish. He pondered and he pondered long about his wish. His mind ranging from wanting a hundred million dollars to becoming a boss in a massive company but none of them seemed to of stuck with him. He thought and thought of ideas for his wish until finally… he has no idea what he would really wish for. "I don't know." August said plainly.

"Wouldn't it be nice if things have gone back to the way things were?" Yuuko said, seemingly to have an idea and a suggestion for him. However this has confused him at first. "Wouldn't it be wonderful if humans treated one another better instead of having such cruel hearts all the while having a stronger mind?"

When Yuuko asked him those things, it had struck a nerve with him. "You know what; I have had plenty of thoughts like that. People today have no concept of goodness anymore and lately I've been on the receiving end of a lot of it, both directly and indirectly. I never understood nor cared to try to understand where it all went wrong. My ability to see spirits has also made me be able to see certain auras on people like the past couple of days being the most recent issue that I've had was the stench of pride and vanity coming off of them, had I have not been fired today, the auras coming off of them would of made me leave anyway. These thoughts that I have now were because of years' worth of stress thanks to society as of right now. Almost absolutely nothing is sacred anymore!" August had finished his ranting. He collapsed to his knees and was breathing heavily. He looks up at Yuuko, pleadingly. "I have never been able to sleep very well most nights. My thoughts have always been negative thoughts, lately. My faith in humanity goes up then goes down almost immediately after… I just want my world to make sense again."

Yuuko had listened to his ranting with the finesse of a therapist. She wore a sympathetic frown that whole time he spoke. Her expression changed and was smiling gently at him. "I can fix your world. I can even make it better for you." Yuuko promises.

"Can you do that? Can you really make the world even better?" August asks in disbelief even though he silently hoped that what stories he had heard about Yuuko were true.

He had failed to notice the twins had come into the room once again. This time, the both of them sat next to him.

"If the mistress says she can do it-" Maru spoke as she sat next to August.

"then the mistress can most certainly do it!" Moro finished as she sat next to August's other side.

"As long as I get my payment." Yuuko added. She smokes her pipe once again and blew another stream of smoke.

August looked at both the twins, then back at Yuuko. "Can you?"

"I can do it." Yuuko softly declared again.

August was moved almost to tears at that point. "I just… want my world to be better" He softly begged.

Yuuko's expression now became her all knowing smile with the serene atmosphere about her. "Now I know you true desire August. So… shall I grant your wish?" Yuuko said sounding more like a promise than a question.

August, for the first time in years, felt like there is hope after all. He nods to her question. "Please." August softly responded.

Yuuko has worn the serene expression, her smile curled upwards and her eyes seem to look into August's soul as before. Then as soon as the moment of August saying please to Yuuko came, her expression had changed from serious to mischievous again. "First, the payment." Yuuko humorously inquired.

All hope and happiness disappeared as soon as he heard there was supposed to be another payment, and he is back to being aggravated. He stood up immediately upon hearing Yuuko's response and stomped up to her "Hold on just a second! What about my ring?!" August inquired agitated while holding out his hands.

"This is this and that is that." Yuuko stated as she slapped his hands away from her.

The twins cheered and danced to Yuuko's response. "This is this! That is that!"

"Then what do you call earlier?!" August protested.

"Compensation, of course." Yuuko matter-of-factly explained.

"Come on!" He shouted.

"I don't accept refunds for my services." She said.

August places his hand on his face; he was starting to get a stress induced headache. He was audibly growling at this point.

"Why don't you work for me then?" Yuuko suggested.

August, caught off guard by her suggestion took his hand off his face to look at Yuuko in the eye. '_Is she offering me a job_' he thought.

"I know that you have told me that you have lost your job, August." She reminded him. "And the circumstances leading up to your firing were most unfortunate. As for me, help is very hard to come by lately. So, you help me and I help you."

'_She really is offering me a job_' August thought again. This made him even more confused than he would have liked but at the same time he isn't going to say no to a job immediately offered to him.

"Will working full time work for you August? I am willing to help you financially, but expect overtime." Yuuko offered again.

He didn't need to think twice about it. "I accept your offer and am willing to work for you!" August said a little too loudly while trying to hide the fact that he was extremely excited and happy to of at least been able to get a job so fast. "When do you want me to work?"

"Hmm, tomorrow." Yuuko stated. Her smile widened, she was in a very cheerful mood. "Let us celebrate your full-time employment then! We are going to need the finest sake with some delicious salmon along with some pastries! Oh, and definitely, definitely some curry to go along with those! "

"Full-Timer!" Maru and Moro cheered as they danced and chanted a song of him being a full time worker.

August gave a half smile again. "That was fast." He uttered to himself. "I guess I'm shopping then."

"It'll be dinner for four." Yuuko said. "Make sure you have plenty."

August, with the mindset that it's going to include him in this celebratory meal and party had made a mental note of it in his head. Then he remembered something… his charm! He was wide eyed as he realized he would be a sitting duck outside without his charm. With all the spirits roaming around town, he would practically be playing hide and seek with the spirits that had hungered for him. "I think I just remembered something I need to take care of first at my apartment. It shouldn't take long." August explained.

"Don't keep us waiting." Was all that Yuuko said before August left her house and shop. The twins saw him out and wave at him as he left with Yuuko close behind the twins.

It didn't take August very long to get back to his apartment and find his charm. He was mildly surprised that none of the spirits outside took notice of him when he left the protective barrier of the fence at Yuuko's shop. He found his charm as he would have expected; in his other pants. While he was at it, he made it a point to change clothes, he had almost forgotten about the fact that he was still in his work uniform when he stumbled upon the magical shop of wishes. He dressed himself in something a bit more casual as he wore a black shirt beneath a blue plaid flannel with his sleeves tucked up with his eagle charm worn proudly as his necklace and protection from the spirits that hungered for him. As soon as he left and closed his door, his phone started ringing. He picks it up to hear a worried Markus on the other side of the line.

"Hey August, I've received your text earlier. Are you ok?" Markus inquires.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine surprisingly." August said, now realizing that his circumstances were very odd especially after being fired from his older job just today. "Some of the craziest crap happened to me leading up to that point."

"I can imagine." Markus replied. "Like, what happened that got you fired?"

"Got fired for basically no reason." August stated annoyed now thinking about it. "There was a mess with management and the higher ups decided to place in a new one that actually made things worse. Heck, the only reason why I was fired in the first place was because the guy had a grudge on me still to this day."

"Who has a grudge on you?" Markus asked. Then it registered to him and realized what person August may be referring to and that made him quiver with fear on the other side of the phone. "It didn't happen to be Jimmy, was it?"

"Afraid so." August stated. "Had no idea, he had three scars on his face after smashing the guy's face to a locker. I'm just amazed the guy remembered me to this day."

Markus cringed at the thought of Jimmy remembering the event; in fact the thought of Jimmy had always made him scared and paranoid. "I hope he doesn't remember me."

"He'll leave you alone so long as I'm around. The guy's a wimp." August assured Markus. "However, I do have some good news."

"Oh, what would that be?" Markus asks; intrigued by what he has to say.

"I actually found a job immediately after getting fired. I'm counting all of my lucky stars that it happened on the same day." August explained.

"That's good to hear." Markus says, relieved that his friend wasn't going to be jobless after all. "So where are you working at?"

The question made August pause for a moment. Where he is working in question would actually be hard to believe especially since the Witch of Wishes was a topic of discussion in the four nights back.

"August?" Markus inquired.

"Let's just say I work in a very high end shop." August said, not entirely sure how else to answer the question and make it believable. "It pays pretty well."

"Oh, that's good to hear. I'm glad that you've found a job so quickly." Markus replied. "Well, anyway, I'm going to be shopping for some gifts for Nina for the date this week end. You'll have to let me know how your job is when we meet again."

"Will do." August simply replies. "Well, I'll be hearing back from you again Markus."

"Take care." Markus said before hanging up.

August puts his phone back in his pocket. He grimaces, realizing that he has to somehow tell Markus that he is effectively working for the Witch of Wishes. He'll have to know about it eventually.

Shortly after leaving his apartment complex, he was on the streets heading towards the Asian market. He has made salmon recipes before as well as tried some sake. He has some ideas for pastries he could buy after leaving the Asian market ranging from cupcakes to muffins. Finally, the thing with curry, he has never tried it before and to his knowledge it's an Indian cuisine and a spicy one, August is definitely going to try that one after getting the ingredients for it. He has had some jobs before where he had been a cook, so it shouldn't be an issue for him making things for his new employer that still seems to charm him with her red eyes.

He sees the purple masses again, only this time August wasn't so afraid of them thanks to his eagle charm. As soon as the masses see him and flow closer to him, he holds up his charm that stopped the spirits in their tracks. "We are not doing this again!" August sternly shouted at the purple masses that soon after floats away from him. As soon as it disappears, he was smiling, pleased that he doesn't have to deal with another embarrassing chase today.

As he looks towards the spirits that were floating away, there was something else and that one had definitely scared off the cloudy masses. It has the movements akin to a Chinese Dragon, floating about in the sky but it has no legs. The body was almost entirely black save for the red stripes with a yellow underbelly and fringes of red on what he could only assume was its hair atop its head. Its eyes and mouth were hauntingly green and they glowed as well as the red stripes on its body. It looked like a powerful serpent was in the sky with a human-like face. To August, it looked intimidating and seemed to have no fear of his charm as it slithers closer to him. He held his charm up to the serpent's face as it seemed to surround him with its body. Its forked tongue flickered out and in, uttering a hiss, seemingly to smell him as it looks at him. He grew even more scared as he saw its maw give him a smile and showed its fangs to August. As soon as he had that encounter with the dark serpent, it has slithered away from him, seemingly humming to a tune only it knows, the humming sound in question was feminine.

August sighs in relief, it was seemingly only curious of him. This was actually the seventh time he has seen that particular spirit in question and wondered to himself if it was a friend or a foe, this was the first time that it had slithered closer to him and actually really looked at him. The charm seemed to have no effect on the serpent and it coming closer to him was confirmation of that.

August continues along his trek to the Asian Market, which wasn't far from his apartment area. Once there, he did his shopping and made it a point to being quick about his shopping. He was already delayed enough. Once out of there, August has everything he needs except for the pastries, to that he figured he'd get muffins from another store, particularly blueberry muffins. It wasn't even a few doors over that he gets to the other store and walks out with the muffins. He was carrying most of the groceries along back to Yuuko's shop and he was going to cook.

He was on his way to the shop until he sees a woman. She looks eerily familiar as she looks an awful lot like Yuuko, save for a few things: her hair has red fringes, her eyes were green, her skin tone was a bit darker, and she has a red bindi dot adorning her forehead. He had originally assumed that it was Yuuko but he now sees that this isn't her as she was coming closer to him. She was dressed in a black and orange shirt with jeans. She was close, close enough to see that her eyes were not exactly human as her pupils were slits, like a snake's. This had paralyzed him in his tracks.

This snake woman seemed to look him all over. She goes next to his ear to whisper. "We'll be seeing each other very soon." A seductive hiss escapes her lips. This had made August shiver a lot. He didn't quite know what the woman meant.

"Who are you, exactly?" August managed to speak between chattering teeth.

She chortles. "I am Nagina." The snake woman replied. "You have gained a powerful friend it seems. I do wonder who it is."

August gulped, he isn't quite sure if he should trust her despite acting very friendly towards him. He remained silent for the remainder of the encounter with this Nagina lady.

"Don't be afraid." Nagina says, sensing August's fear. "You'll trust me some day. You just have to wait and see."

With that, Nagina has made her leave, again, humming her tune. August just simply looked at her as Nagina was walking away, seemingly with her hips dancing side to side, almost as if she were slithering away.

"She certainly is pretty." August thought out loud. He shivered a bit still having her snake eyes looking into his eyes in his head. "Very strange too."

He had picked his pace up as he was heading back to the shop and be in the safety of the barrier, and most importantly prep for the cooking for the four of them. He wasn't about to have another delay.

He has reached the shop and gotten in the safety of the fence's barrier. As before, he was greeted by the twins, Maru and Moro.

"Welcome back!" The both of them cheered. This gave August a smile on his face.

"Hello again Maru and Moro." August greeted them. He steps inside the house, slipping his shoes off and going on inside.

"Ah, good, you've come back just in time." Yuuko said, she was in the hallway just about to greet him as well at the door.

"Am I? Thought I was going to be late a couple times." August explained. Then he noticed two small animals that were at Yuuko's sides. He had almost mistaken them for small lop eared rabbits had they not have small ear rings and jewels on their foreheads. One of them was all black with blue jewels and the other one was all white with red jewels.

"Ah, so this must be the full timer Yuuko must be talking about." The white one squeaked.

"And he's bought us some good stuff to eat." The black one squeaked with a bit more gravel in its voice.

August blinked a couple times trying to comprehend the rabbit looking creatures he's actually seeing. Then he looks up at Yuuko. "Um, what exactly are they?" August asked, unsure if they were her pets or his sleep depraved imagination.

Yuuko held her arms out to both the little creatures as they hopped up on to her shoulders. "They are Mokonas."

"A Moka- what?" August asks, now confused by what the small rabbit things are even more.

"Mokonas. You count them one Mokona, two Mokona, and that's it, it stops at two." Yuuko explained although that still left August slightly more confused than before but he doesn't want to ask further. "They are our party guests."

"Party! Party! Party!" Both the Mokonas squeaked excitedly.

Then it dawned on August that the twins were not eating. He pointed at Maru and Moro. "What about them?"

Yuuko went on next to August's ear. "They don't actually eat; in fact they don't have souls." She whispers her explanation.

August turned white; the Shining movie comes to mind in his head. He nods in understanding.

Yuuko looks at the twins smiling. "Take August to the kitchen for him to get the food ready for dinner." Yuuko requested.

"Kay!" Maru and Moro cheered. Then the twins guided August to the kitchen and the mokonas followed along to the kitchen.

Yuuko was smiling at them as they were going to the kitchen. Her eyes narrowed as she turns around and goes to the doorway. She slides the doors to look outside with the setting sun. Beyond the fence, her adversary from nights ago was looking straight at her. She looks back at him. She knows he can't enter the shop as he tried to tap on the fence's magical barrier with his clawed hand only to flinch as the barrier shocks him. Her eye brows furrowed and her smile darkened, the dark medicine man would actually be severely outmatched by her own power alone.

The Skinwalker growls an unhuman growl at the witch. His eyes glowed yellow. He was following August that entire time but as soon as he entered the shop's barrier, the form changing being was unable to follow any further.

"He is under my protection, beast. So long as I am around, you cannot touch him." Yuuko chided. She begins to walk towards the Skinwalker with her red eyes staring him down. The dazzling warm red eyes that were displayed for August were replaced with cold, malicious, intimidating eyes.

As soon as Yuuko started moving towards him, the Skinwalker hissed then his form shifted in cracks and pops of his bones and has the body take the form of a misshapen coyote, not wishing to face the wrath of Yuuko again. A raspy howl followed by cackling could be heard as the Skinwalker fled far away and out of the city limits. Yuuko stood in place, tall and proud, looking in the direction of the cries of the twisted being. She smokes her pipe and blows a smooth stream of smoke. It may not be in the city anymore but it will not be the last time they cross paths. She goes back into her house to regroup and join in the party of August's employment. She glanced behind before shutting the sliding doors and her expression changed and the warmth returned to her again in a matter of milliseconds.

August was hard at work cooking the food. The steam of the salmon, chicken, the rice, and vegetables rose up. He had been cooking and prepping for the curry and salmon for some time now. He sampled the chicken that is covered in the curry paste; the taste of the curry matched the aroma of the food, delicious and ready. August had left the blueberry muffins out on the counter and left the container for them open, in case anyone wanted to help themselves to some muffins to which both the Mokonas had gladly taken.

Maru and Moro seem to observe August, their eyes fixed on his cooking and handiwork with the stove as if they were curious and interested in his cooking. Yuuko shows up to the kitchen and was leaning on the wall of the entry to the kitchen. She sniffs the curry and hummed. "It smells delicious. Is it ready?" She asks as Yuuko goes towards the stove to try a sample of the curry.

"It should be I just need to get the curry in a bowl and the salmon on a plate." August answers. He gets the plates and bowls out from a cupboard to place the Curry and Salmon on them. Job experiences at two different restaurants helped gain him the knowledge of making food.

August had set the table with the steaming curry and salmon, and the remaining muffins saved for himself and Yuuko at their respective places on the table. They were ready for the meal for the night.

After eating their fill from the curry and salmon, and Yuuko having a bottle or two of sake, August was given a brief tour of the house and shop. There were a few things that did stick out to him.

Yuuko opens the door to what seems to be a storage room. "In here; this is my room full of treasures." Yuuko stated.

August looked inside to see the room was brimming with items of all walks of life and ages. He sneezes and realizes that the place was extremely dusty. He wasn't quite sure about what Yuuko meant by treasure. "Don't look too much like treasure to me." August said before sneezing again, trying to cover his nose.

"You see, it's supposed to be all the items of people's most prized possessions as part of their wishes. Sometimes things in this room find a new owner. It's become a collection of sorts, really." Yuuko explained.

"Well then, I should have a lot of dusting to do-" August was cut off as he sneezes. "-tomorrow."

After briefly being acquainted with Yuuko's treasure room, the two of them including the Mokonas continue the tour. The twins were playing Janga in the room where he first met Yuuko. August, despite learning that they didn't have souls still sees that they seem to be full of life as they were moving along. They were heading over to the veranda at the front of the house shop.

"Ah, my favorite little spot!" Yuuko gushed.

"Oh, why is that your favorite spot?" August asked. "I thought your little throne room was your favorite spot."

"You see, it's the best spot to have a drink. You enjoy the weather, be it when it snows, or rains, or when it's sunny out. All, a good reason to drink at… except when it gets too hot outside then the living room becomes my favorite." Yuuko explains.

August observes the area around the veranda and notices the grass could use a little trimming. Then a thought came into his head. "Even the bugs? I know some are actually pleasant to look at. But more specifically do you worry about mosquitoes at all?"

She shook her head.

"The shop's barrier makes sure only the good bugs come in." The White Mokona said.

"The Fireflies are especially a pleasant sight to watch." The Black Mokona added then got excited and bounced. "Hey Yuuko, we got another thing to drink to!"

"Oh, I do love watching the fireflies!" Yuuko gushed. "The green glow especially makes them great for viewing and a good excuse for drinking!"

August cringed; he is both worrying about their livers and pondering what their livers are made out of. "Please don't be regular drunks." August said, despite having drinks of alcohol on occasions, he doesn't drink all that often.

The four of them went back inside. They went on to several parts of the house before heading to the guest bedroom.

"Oh the memories." Yuuko said upon entering the guest bedroom. August looks at Yuuko curious as to why this room was giving her the warm fuzzies. "This will be where you sleep if you do decide to stay overnight here at the shop."

The bed looks glamorous even for a guest bed complete with see through blinds and everything. August was impressed with how it looked. He sat on it and his body practically melted onto the bed. It was absolutely comfortable.

"This is even more comfortable than my bed, and it has memory foam and everything!" August shouted, envious of how comfortable this bed is compared to his bed.

"I'm glad you like it." Yuuko said. August could see there is a faint glimpse of sadness in her red eyes looking at the bed.

"What's wrong?" August asked. He got off the extremely comfortable bed and stood beside Yuuko. "Did someone sleep here before?"

"Yes. That was the bed my previous employee slept in quite regularly." Yuuko said, then brightening up. "However, that is another story to tell one day. You shouldn't worry yourself over it."

"Just fond memories then, eh?" August said looking at the bed now feeling bad for laying on it.

"Yeah, good memories." Yuuko said. She wrapped her arm around August's shoulder and brought him to her side. She already sees he feels bad for laying on it. "Oh, you're alright. You can sleep here as much as you like if you're planning on staying overnight. My only request is that you don't come to my bedroom to sleep in, that room is off limits."

August nods in understanding to the rule. Then he thought of something. "Even breakfast in bed?" He asked.

"Thoughtful. On the off chance that you do wake up before me, you're more than welcome to do that for me." She notices that August has bags under his eyes due to his sleep deprivation. "Although, you may want to start working on your sleep schedule a little better."

"Insomnia sucks don't it?" August replies with a toothy grin embarrassed that his sleep deprivation was that obvious to other people.

Yuuko nods. "Ever thought to get some help with it?" Yuuko asks.

"I don't plan on relying on medication as a sleep assistant." August said. "If there's one thing that does help me sleep without it turning into an addiction is putting your headphones on and letting the ASMR do the work."

"So self-hypnosis then?" Yuuko said. "That's still some kind of help."

"It's preferable." August adds.

"I know a hypnotist that can help with that issue if it makes you feel better." Yuuko suggested, and then her expression became mischievous and devious. "Or would you rather I whisper sweet little nothings in your ear instead?"

That made August blush wildly to the thought.

The group left the guest bedroom and headed to the living room again. August thought that the tour was over but then realizes that there was one room left that was near the living room. They opened the door and August could see what seems to be an endless line of clothes in a wardrobe.

"Dear God!" He shouted then looks at Yuuko wide eyed. "Now you're just flexing your fashion."

"Impressive isn't it?" She says while giving a toothy grin.

"Definitely." August agreed.

"Only thing I request about my wardrobe is you not touching my clothes." Yuuko explained.

"Last time that was allowed was with my previous employee. Let's just say it wasn't a good look for him when he was trying my clothes on."

"Huh, why's that?" August asked. "Was he drunk at the time or trying to see if he'd look good in any of the clothes?"

"Yeah, we'll just leave it as either of those." Yuuko said not wishing to think about her previous employee in her clothes anymore.

"I suppose." He added. "So is this the end of the tour?"

Yuuko nods. "Yeah, now that you've been properly acquainted with my home… time for some more sake!"

"What the hell?! You already drank!" August protested.

The mokonas bounced.

"Yeah, let's drink!" The Black Mokona cheered.

"I'll be drinking with ya Mokona!" The White Mokona cheered.

Later on, the sun had set and the sky was replaced with the moon that shines a rare sight in Portland to have such a clear night sky but a welcome sight none the less. Yuuko, both the Mokonas, and August surprisingly sat at the veranda to both drink and admire the moon that graces the night sky. The fireflies gently flew about, flashing their green glow.

August looks up at the moon, it wasn't a full moon but it seemed to give off an unusual brilliance. He couldn't help but give a half smile to the sight of the beautiful moon giving its gentle glow to the world at night. He drank a bit of the sake and it tasted good. Despite his protests earlier, he turned out he was ok with it seeing as he walked to the shop and not drove there. He was tipsy from the sake.

Yuuko stretches her arms upward purring while doing so, and then downwards placing her hands on the floor of the veranda behind her back holding her up. "This was fun." Yuuko said looking at August. "And you thought you didn't want to drink? Tsk, tsk, tsk."

"I'm surprised I handled this pretty good." August said, still coherent enough to talk although his legs might object to him standing up quickly. He yawns cavernously while trying to cover his mouth. "I should probably head back to my apartment."

Yuuko nods. "I see." She stands up and stretches again. "In that case, I should escort you home for the night. Simply because I want to know where you live but also to keep you company as you are heading home."

"I appreciate that, thanks." August says as he slowly stood up, his legs were wobbly from the alcohol but after a few seconds of attempting to walk a straight line with his feet and just the act of standing he became stable. Then August thought for a moment why exactly was she escorting him for the night. "There something going on tonight I should know about?"

"For one, you're tipsy. Two; I'm not leaving it to Guzen for you to return home safely by yourself at night, even with your charm." Yuuko reasoned.

"Guzen?" August asked. "Is that like the opposite of Hitsuzen?"

Yuuko smirks. "Catching on quickly, aren't you? Guzen is the concept of things happening by chance and coincidence. In this world, there are no such things as coincidences, only Hitsuzen." Yuuko explained.

August nods; he was smiling. He wanted to learn more from Yuuko in time and found a lot of what she says fascinating. Then a thought came into his head, what about her when she is heading back to her shop. "What about you, Yuuko? You would be heading back here after seeing me off to my apartment."

"Oh, I'll be alright, I can handle myself quite well." Yuuko reassured him. "Maru! Moro! Help me get me changed please."

"Kay!" The twins cheered, and then they follow Yuuko to the changing area in the house to assist their mistress.

August followed closely behind. He was mildly curious to see what she'll look like aside from her red and white kimono she was wearing all day. August was about to take a peek at what Yuuko would be dressing into, if not to see what she would look like beneath all of the clothes. But, he was met with a rubber duck to his face that seemed to quack and peck at him.

"No peeking!" Yuuko said in a sing song voice. Then she retracts the duck and back to dressing up.

"No peeking!" Maru and Moro sang along. Then they proceeded to giggle, including Yuuko.

August awkwardly rubbed his face after being attacked by a rubber duck. "I had that coming." August said, admitting to Yuuko.

After a brief moment of waiting, Yuuko finally comes out of the changing room. She was dressed in a more casual attire, meant for traveling especially. It showed off Yuuko's true shape as she was thinly built but was also still powerful looking despite that. Her hair was worn in a long ponytail. Her shirt was all black but had white butterflies and smoke as her design on the front. Her jeans that showed off the length of her legs better were also black and had butterfly and smoke markings edging at the bottom of the left leg of her jeans. It was of course proof enough to August, no matter what clothes she dressed in from her closet she looks beautiful regardless.

"Well then, are you ready, August?" Yuuko asked.

He nods. He's been ready to go but was waiting patiently for Yuuko to be ready.

"Then let's go." She declared.

Later on outside the shop, Yuuko and August waved the twins and the Mokonas off as they were leaving. Yuuko was escorting August as he was intending on getting home back to his apartment complex. Soon enough, they were on their way to his apartment.

"Curious, what did you do before coming to my shop?" Yuuko asks August, wanting to hold a conversation as they move along.

"Well… in my last job, I was a lead custodian. Not exactly the most glamorous job you can take but someone's gotta do it." August explains. "Although before that job, I used to work in two different restaurants, one for primarily Far Eastern cuisine and another one I briefly worked in specializes in cheese cake."

Yuuko's eyes seem to brighten at the mention of cheese cake. "I do love cheese cake." Yuuko said as she smiles.

"It's definitely delicious, I know." August added then he continued. "Although, I can't really say I'm that good of a cake maker. My friend Markus does a way better job at cooking cake in general. I observe most of the cooking done. I'm blessed with a good memory… on top of basically looking for recipes to cook up. I've a habit for experimenting."

"Blessed with good memory I see." Yuuko replies. "And, I would probably like to meet your friend Markus someday but I feel like it's only a matter of time that I will."

"He's a good guy; Markus is just really shy so approaching him may be a bit difficult." Said August. "A lot of his shyness came from him moving over here in the States, Markus was from Great Britain before moving here on top of having a bully problem in high school that I had to deal with personally as the teachers of that time weren't doing much to stop it."

"I see." Her expression was sympathetic.

"I never really dreamed the day it was going to bite me in the ass for what I did to the guy all those years ago." August says with regret. "That was actually how I lost my job earlier."

"But it seems to of worked out for you in the end." Yuuko says, reassuring August. "All in accordance to Hitsuzen. Besides, you are working for me now."

"Yeah, you got a point." August adds. "Plus, I never thought I would see the day I would meet the one woman that stirs up a lot of talk. Yet, here I am, with you no less."

"My reputation precedes me." Yuuko said. "I've helped grant the wishes of many over the years. It's part of my profession as well as other responsibilities."

"Interesting." August says. "Although, something that's bugging me, and I actually didn't think to ask this; a lot of the stories I've heard about originated in Tokyo Japan. Why and how are you over here in Portland Oregon?"

"All in Hitsuzen." Yuuko replied.

"I figured that." August says, mildly annoyed that he didn't get a straight answer. Although he feels like he'll know in time why.

Of course, it didn't take long for him to find out why Yuuko is over in Oregon and not Japan.

"You see, my shop moves about the world. Where it is needed the most, the shop goes to that specific location. The West Coast is where the shop is most needed right now, so it will be here for a long time." Yuuko explains.

August nods and was smiling, he was surprisingly intrigued by that reason. "What happens when the shop isn't needed here anymore?" He asks.

"The shop moves to where it is most needed." Yuuko says. "If there are fewer people that are of need of this shop than the others in a different area of the world, the shop moves."

"Must be nice, seeing the world like that." Said August, he was actually envious of that ability for the shop to move about. "Me, most I am able to do is travel across state lines. Only state I'm not visiting again is down south in California, it's filled to the brim with evil spirits and I am staying the hell away from that Owl."

"Well, don't expect yourself to stay away from it forever if you get a job task that involves going south into California." Yuuko said. "Rest assured, you will not go alone there, and I know a place that isn't crawling with evil spirits if it gives you a little piece of mind."

"Mount Shasta." August said. "I have heard plenty of stories about that place. To my understanding, there's an entryway that leads into a city called Telos."

"You seem to know a lot about this sort of thing." Yuuko replies. Smiling, she was impressed he knows a lot on certain topics.

"My sleep depravity sort of makes my head go a million miles an hour with thoughts and the current state of things right now I needed a way to not only feed my brain but also to keep my mind off of people." He says. He looks down; he was sort of ashamed that a lot of what he does learn was due to his Insomnia.

Before August knew it, he is back in front of his apartment complex. He frowned; he sort of wished the walk home wasn't as short as he wanted to get to know Yuuko better.

"Is this where you live?" Yuuko asks looking at August.

"Yeah, it is." August answered. "What time do you want me to come over to the shop and start working with you?"

"Nine in the morning try and get some sleep when you can at least." Yuuko responded.

This made August smile. "Thanks. I'll definitely try." He said. August couldn't help but look and be lost in Yuuko's red eyes again if not to at least not forget if all of what he experienced today was but a dream.

Yuuko notices August looking into her eyes. "Can't keep your eyes off of them, can you?" She teases.

"I'm sorry." He weakly apologizes. "I don't know why I am drawn to your eyes, they always seem to mesmerize me and I want to remember those eyes if I ever do wake up and all of this turns out to be a dream."

Before August could say anymore, Yuuko was holding and feeling his hand. It was as if she wanted to reassure him that this was no dream or the trick of insomnia.

Yuuko whispers. "Am I real enough, August?" She was looking deep into his eyes now as if she were looking into his soul.

He couldn't help but blush from this act and he nods. "Yeah…" He utters softly.

Yuuko gently lets go of his hand while still looking into his eyes. "Try to get some sleep tonight my friend." She says before turning around to head back to her home.

August was still spell bound by her red eyes that fill his mind. He then shook his head and snaps out of it again, realizing that Yuuko was leaving and he wanted to at least tell her something that's been eating away at him since the very first moment he laid eyes on her and he didn't want to feel like a fool for not saying it to her.

"Yuuko, wait!" August called out to her. Yuuko turns around, wondering what August wanted to say to her before she makes her leave to her home and shop. "I just wanted to say… you're beautiful."

Although, coming out of his mouth now, he realizes that it was even more foolish as he looks down.

"Thank you." Yuuko says as she was chuckling making August look up at her. "I was almost waiting for you to say that to me all day since you were looking into my eyes so often."

August scratches the back of his head, smiling and blushing, she very likely had read his mind.

"Nine in the morning, August." She continues. "Think you can remember that?"

"I'll set an alarm." August replies. "I'll remember that."

"See you tomorrow." Yuuko says before turning around and making her way back home again.

August felt his heart racing again. There was a lot that was going through his mind. The very person he had heard briefly about four nights ago had become the very person he is working for now. He isn't sure whether to feel happy or scared. But the snake woman from earlier was right about one thing; he has gained a very powerful friend indeed.

He makes his way into his apartment and as soon as he comes in to his room he made it a point to set his alarm. For some reason, he felt oddly tired, was it motivation to get to his new work place on time that was doing it to him or simply seeing Yuuko again, he wasn't sure but sleep seemed to of come easy for him tonight and he was dreaming.


	2. Chapter 2

It is the next day, at nine o'clock; August has set foot in the shop. He dressed himself in business casual clothes; sporting khakis, a red shirt underneath a black and red plaid shirt with his sleeves rolled up. He was eager to begin his duties for Yuuko and have his wish granted.

"Welcome back August!" Maru and Moro cheerfully greeted, waving at him as he enters the house.

"Hey there Maru and Moro." August greeted the twins as he slipped his shoes off at the entrance way. "Care to take me to your mistress?"

"Mistress is with a customer right now." Maru spoke.

"She is?" August said, interested in seeing what she does with other customers in her work.

"Yes." Moro replies. The twins looked at one another, missing all the times they would be with the 'Part-Timer' eavesdropping on the conversations going on between her and her customer with him thinking out loud with him causing mischief with the mistress in the process. Then the twins look back at August all smiles. "Would you like to see what she does?"

"That'd be interesting to see." August said as he nods.

"Then follow us!" The twins cheered. The three of them went along in the house. August was close behind Maru and Moro following them where they go. They stopped at a sliding door and the twins slid one door slightly open for August to take a peek at what Yuuko does with her client. The both of them put their fingers on their lips as if to hush August before he looks in on the conversation going on. It was at a room with a coffee table with the two sitting at each side of the table.

Yuuko was dressed radically different from yesterday. Compared to her red kimono he first saw her in and her black shirt, she is in a black dress shirt with a black long skirt that went down just above her feet. Yuuko also wore a large purple and tan Kashmir pashmina with flower markings around her neck and shoulders making her look even more elegant.

The man that sat across from Yuuko was dressed in a black and white business suit and a red tie. He has hair that has long gone gray despite looking like he doesn't have any wrinkles on his face. August sees that the man looks mildly insecure about something; was it the piercing red eyes that peered into the man's soul, or is he scared about something else. August was certain to find out soon enough.

"It's a bit of a mess you see. I have enough incidents go on in the gallery as is and it has become something of a PR nightmare." The man across from Yuuko explains. August then suddenly recognizes the man. That is the curator of the Portland Art Gallery.

"Can you describe them to me?" She asks the curator.

"Well… where to begin." The curator thought out loud before going into detail of the events. "To start, a few of the night security went missing only to wind up dead, as if they suffered from a heart attack. There were reports of a few figures in the gallery, I had feared at first that it was a burglar but in hindsight I'd rather that than what goes on inside the gallery as none of the art pieces seemed to of been taken. What goes on in there is what puzzles me the most as the security systems shut down between one in the morning to four in the morning with most of the activity seemingly centered around three A.M."

August grimaces; that was the art museum he had frequented as a child. He kept listening attentively to the conversation.

"Do you suspect someone is turning the system off when they come in?" Yuuko asks.

"I don't want to jump to any conclusions, but so far that is what is most likely happening." The curator said. "As to either who's letting them in or how they are getting in remains to be seen. So far, after the fatalities that happened in the gallery the night security staff were too afraid to do their job fearing that it would happen to them."

"No one else was hurt after that then?" She asks.

"No… at least not yet." The curator gulped. "I have a feeling something is going down in the gallery tonight and I don't want that happening."

"I see." Yuuko said before sipping her tea. "I may have the solution for you that'll work. It may be the best option we have for that problem."

As August is observing the interaction, he notices Yuuko's red eyes turn towards the crack in the doorway as if she already knew of his presence to begin with and smiles devilishly at August. This made him yelp and jump out of view with fright, making Maru and Moro giggle wildly. She looks back at the curator with the same sincerity as before.

"I'll have someone investigate the gallery tonight and take care of whatever is happening there." Yuuko said.

"Thank you, madam." The curator said as he stood up from his seat.

"Maru! Moro!" She calls the twins and the sliding doors open wide, Maru and Moro stood ready. "See the curator out for me please."

"Of course mistress!" The twins cheered.

Then the twins, Maru and Moro, showed the curator out of the shop with the eagerness to help their mistress. August came back to the room with the coffee table. He was curious to know what is going on. He sees Yuuko was still sitting at the table and her eyes were fixated on him.

"What was all that about?" August asks Yuuko.

"A customer." Yuuko replies as she sips her tea again. "And your major task for tonight."

August took a seat. "Forgive me for eavesdropping in on that conversation but what do you think is happening at that gallery?" August inquires.

"Occult activity." Yuuko said. "The Curator didn't want to say it himself but he also didn't want to stir public panic. You must have caught on to all of the things he said, have you not?"

"Security winding up dead, a black out in the system in the dark of the night, creepy figures coming in; something shady is definitely happening." August replies.

"Shady indeed." Yuuko says before sipping her tea.

He nods then he realizes that Yuuko mentioned something about that being his major task of the night. "Wait, you don't mean to send me in there to investigate what's going on, do you?" August asks, now looking slightly frightened.

Yuuko leans back on her chair and nods. "Had I done it myself, he would have to give me compensation for my service. That is why I am sending you in there to investigate." Yuuko answers.

"Um, great." August said before pausing. He then laughs, thinking that Yuuko is joking about sending him into the Gallery to see if there is any sinister activity going on. "Ok, that's a good one Yuuko. Did you drink any sake this morning?"

Yuuko's frowning expression never changed as he was laughing. He looks at her and his laughter was slowly dying down and increasingly unnerved. His laughter stopped, realizing she wasn't joking about sending him into the gallery to investigate the going-ons at night. She leans in, closer to August then smacks her rubber duck on his forehead to put some sense into him with the duck making a quack sound.

"This is serious, August. Lives are at stake here and the weight of someone taking someone else's life is extremely heavy to the point of it becoming near impossible to bare." Yuuko sternly said, with her red eyes now icy and glaring into his eyes, though her eyes have a hint of worry in them. She retracts her rubber duck from his forehead and puts it somewhere hidden.

August was rubbing his forehead at this point, rubbing the pain away. "Ouch! Sorry about that Yuuko." He apologizes.

"I should have you know; I may drink a lot, but I am not constantly drunk."Yuuko said. Then her expression softens with a gentle smile on her face. "However I wouldn't be sending you in there if it meant certain death for you without protection."

"Ok." August replies. "Care to elaborate?"

"I will but for now let's start with the tasks in my shop first." Yuuko says then thinking for a brief moment on what August would start with this morning. "You mow the lawn first, and then dust the treasure room. Once the both of those are done, you make lunch." Yuuko thought for another brief moment on what August should make. "Alfredo noodles with Zuppa Toscana."

"On it!" August says fully prepared to do the lawn mowing first.

Later on when he got to the shed he discovers that instead of an engine run lawn mower most people have today. It was a push powered lawn trimmer. He looks at the Black Mokona questioning the lop eared creature.

"You serious?" August grumbled.

"What can I say; she likes her old fashioned things." The Black Mokona squeaked.

August's brows furrowed. "Remind me later to get an actual lawn mower over here." August spoke, irritated that the push lawn trimmer was the only thing available to use.

He takes the lawn trimmer out and begins his work with the lawn that has a much needed mowing. It took him a good hour and fifteen minutes to get the lawn done as the shop's lawn space was surprisingly large for the space it took up. By the time August has it finished and has the lawn trimmer back in the shed he looks and admires the fact that he got the lawn mowed with a lawn trimmer of all things.

He heads to Yuuko's treasure room next, with a mask on to protect himself from sneezing fits because of the dust build up in the treasure room. While it took less effort to dust up the entire treasure room than the lawn being mowed, it took him longer to get done due to the sheer amount of all the things in the treasure room. In its own way, it was oddly relaxing to him compared to the lawn being mowed as well as the fact that he is able to take a glimpse at what she's got.

"Remind me again how this is a treasure room?" August asks, he knows Yuuko was observing him dusting the mountain of objects in the room.

Yuuko was outside the door leaning on the wall admiring his effort from afar. "These are all the prized possessions of people that have been compensated for their wishes." Yuuko said. "Of course, there are some that are actually mine."

August hummed, intrigued by what he is seeing as he dusted the room.

The twins have come to see what August is up to and sees that he is taking the effort to get everything dusted off as best he can as seriously as he possibly can.

Yuuko sees that Maru and Moro have come to watch the silent show of August dusting up the entire treasure room. "He's absolutely taking this like a champ." Yuuko said to the twins.

"Like a champ! Like a champ!" Maru and Moro chanted happily.

As the twins chanted and as August dusted the objects in the room, he comes across a picture that is framed. It was a picture of Yuuko and four other people as well as what appears to be the Black Mokona in the photo as well. One of them is wearing glasses and appears to have heterochromia as one eye was blue and the other eye was light brown, he stood between Yuuko and another boy and he notices the bunny ears being formed behind his head coming from Yuuko's hand, his eyes seem to be full of energy. The boy next to him appears to have a blank expression worn on his face having more of a serious expression worn on his face although there appears to be a faint smile on his face, his eyes were light brown. The girl at the other end seems the happiest looking with her long hair and blue eyes that seem to sparkle. The girl towards the front of the group appears to have blonde hair with soulful eyes of blue and is smiling with a hint of sadness to her expression. The picture more than likely was from years ago back when Yuuko was in Japan. He couldn't help but feel like smiling at the photo.

"Hey, Yuuko!" August calls. "Is this back when you were living in Japan?"

Yuuko comes over to August to see what he is holding and her eyes became wide with excitement. "Ah, so that's where I left that photo!" Yuuko shouted, the nostalgia of the memories now flowing in her mind. Yuuko was holding up the photo, she was all smiles. She points to the one with the heterochromia. "This boy, right here, was my part-timer. I have so many memories with him."

"Really?" August says, now intrigued by what Yuuko has to say. "He have a name?"

"Kimihiro Watanuki." Yuuko answered. "He was quite the spaz when he started working for me. He was also such a good worker despite being a big complainer."

"I can see that." August says as he was looking at Kimihiro with Yuuko holding the rabbit ears behind his head now imagining the aftermath of the photo that was taken in his head.

"A pity he doesn't work for me anymore. He was actually really sweet when he isn't spazzing out." Yuuko stated further.

"Oh? What happened then?" August asks.

Yuuko remained silent for a brief pause. Yuuko's eyes still having a wave of memories flow through her red eyes as she looks at the photo. Yuuko then looks at August and her smile returns to her face. "I've granted his wish and we've went our separate ways. To the best of my knowledge now, he's become something of a culinary genius." Yuuko spoke, nostalgia still in her eyes.

August gave a crooked smile beneath his mask. He was intrigued but was curious to learn more but deep down he knows that there's also some other stuff that Yuuko isn't telling him. For now, he isn't going to press on anymore. "Do you want this put anywhere where you can view it more often? Seems like you miss the guy." August asks, genuinely wanting to make sure she doesn't lose the photo.

Yuuko takes the photo. "I'll have it somewhere safe, where I won't lose it." Yuuko replies. "I was beginning to think I may never find it again until you found it."

"Good then." August says as he nods. "I'll keep at it with this treasure room until everything is dusted off. After that, lunch time."

Yuuko nods then leaves him to his work while taking the photo to where August assumes is going to be in her bedroom.

August soldiers on, dusting the treasure room for two hours. By the time he has all of that finished, he looks and admires the now clean treasure room. There were things that he hadn't noticed before while dusting. He looks and sees what seems to be a moving object traversing the many shelves.

"Is that thing alive?" August asks himself as he squints his eyes looking at the thing that seems to magically wander about. Before he could think any further, it seemed to dash at him. He grew wide eyed and shuts the door before it could get to him. "I think I just discovered Australia's homicidal little brother."

Now, he is in the kitchen, hard at work making the Alfredo and the Zuppa Toscana soup. It was a meal for four. He had already got the sake, especially for yuuko and the Mokonas. He was interested in trying out the Italian dish himself when he gets done with it. He knows this was an Olive garden recipe that he is trying and has always liked their food.

In the Alfredo, he has made it a point to put chicken in with the noodles and Alfredo sauce. As for the Zuppa Toscana, he was making the recipe with pork, spinach, and potatoes in with the broth. He was trying his best not to salivate at his own handy work with the food he is making. The aroma of the Italian soup was particularly irresistible.

"Well, this'll be interesting to try out." August says as he gets the Italian dishes ready for lunch.

Shortly after the four of them got done eating lunch. Both the Mokonas enjoyed the Alfredo, August was more than eager for his own soup he had made to eat and enjoy. Yuuko savored every last bite of the Alfredo and the Zuppa Toscana soup with relish.

"We should try this again some other time. You're quite good at it." Yuuko commented.

"No stretch, really. I've worked in a couple restaurants for that type of experience." August said, flattered but was being modest about his cooking. "Plus, I just look up the recipe on my phone so it's really not that impressive."

"What are you talking about?!" White Mokona squeaked. "This was actually pretty good!"

"Mokona enjoys this taste very much!" Black Mokona squeaked also.

He shrugs and sighs. August wasn't used to this much flattery. Then August remembers from earlier in the morning. "You mentioned, earlier, something about getting me some sort of protection when I go into that gallery?" August asks.

Yuuko looks at August and nods. "Correct." She answers. Yuuko points to the charm worn around his neck. "That charm may not be enough for you to have as protection. It can protect you from most of the lower spirits but the more powerful ones would most certainly laugh it off and go after you anyway."

August was thinking back to the serpent spirit that came too close for comfort to him yesterday. He gulped at the thought. "So what you're saying is I need something else that would ensure that I am safe going into that place?" He inquires shakily.

Yuuko nods again. "More specifically, someone." Yuuko says as she smiles. "He will meet you over there outside the gallery."

"Friend of yours?" He asks.

"I have known him for quite a while now and had gotten back in touch with him since moving here in Portland for about five years." Yuuko replies again. "He is quite interesting to say the least."

"That's good to know." August says. He then thought for a moment. "What time do you want me to meet this friend of yours at the gallery?"

"Twelve forty-five in the morning. I intend for you and him to make a plan of action on getting into the building and see how they are getting in. Once everything is figured out and you two are in the building, we'll plan things as we go." Yuuko explains.

"Seems the most straight forward plan so far." August spoke in agreement. Then he thought for a moment. "Wait, what do you mean we'll plan things as we go along? Are you coming with us?"

"Not really but I have ways of keeping in contact with you while you two are in there." Yuuko said. Her smile faintly grew mischievous with a thought.

August couldn't help but raise a brow. "What are you thinking about?" He asks hesitantly.

"Oh, you'll see." Yuuko said now snickering to herself.

He snickers also more out of fear than actually going along with Yuuko's snickering. "Why am I laughing?"

Later on at the dark of the night, it was twelve forty in the morning. A figure was walking on a sidewalk, heading to the Oregon Art Gallery at night. When he comes underneath a street light, he was wearing a long sleeved brown button shirt over a grey shirt. He wore glasses and was middle aged with thinning hair but still kept his appearance in top shape with a well shaven face save for his mustache that is trimmed and his eyes behind his glasses were a dark brown, even then, appearances were deceptive. He was from Japan and made his life in Portland for a long time. He stops and was near the Oregon Art Gallery, now waiting for somebody to come to him. He pulls his sleeve up to view his watch to check the time: it now read twelve forty-two in the morning.

"Yuuko's new friend should be here any second now." The man says to himself in his deep voice with age evident in his voice.

Sure enough, another person was walking up to where the man stood. He was wearing his brown leather vest with his black shirt beneath. He was also wearing what appear to be yellow ears with black points at the top and a deer hunter hat between the set of long ears. The ears and hat in question were being worn by August that was scowling the whole time. He stopped in front of the man that he was told to meet up with at the time. His face was red with embarrassment of wearing the ears.

The man sees August and was looking at him with a blank but serious expression. "What's with the ears?" The man asks.

"Bear with me; I stopped asking that question ten minutes after she put them on my head." August says, with irritation in his voice. "This was not how I wanted to meet new people."

"Well… they give you character and make you look adorable." The man says.

August was scowling again, irritated with the ears already.

"See? He likes the ears too." A feminine voice came from within the ears that are a headpiece and microphone. It was Yuuko's voice. "Plus they really do make you look cute."

"I agreed to these particular ears because they remind me of that movie Detective Pikachu." August grumbled.

"I suppose introductions are in order." The stranger spoke. He holds his hand out to offer a hand shake to August. "Call me, Takuma."

August shook Takuma's hand. "August." He introduces himself to Takuma.

"Alright, now that introductions are in order, you two find the entry way to the gallery. Do not go inside the building until after all of the perpetrators are inside somehow." Yuuko said.

"Reasonable enough, Yuuko." August replied into the headpiece. Then he looks at Takuma. "We'll have to find the entry point of this gallery. When we're there, we wait until the people that are breaking in get in the building."

Takuma nods.

The two men went along on the path, looking for the entrance to the gallery. It didn't take long for them to find the main entry way to the gallery. Takuma and August went and found a spot to hide while waiting for the group of people to show up and somehow enter the gallery. While the both of them were waiting, August couldn't help but keep looking up at the building's rooftop. He sees a large black mass he never noticed before that seems to be hidden in the shadows of the night only for the lights that moved about to show that it was there. It was definitely shifting and moving about but was also in place as if it were waiting for something.

"Takuma, do you see anything?" August asks, pointing to the rooftop. "At least on the roof of the gallery."

Takuma looks up and sees the same thing. "I see it. Let us hope it doesn't see us." Takuma said with concern.

"Do you see something August?" Yuuko asks.

"I do. It's large and it's black as night. I can't make out what shape it is but if I had to wager a guess, likely oval shaped but it keeps shifting. It seems like it's waiting for something or someone." August described.

The headpiece was silent for a brief moment in a pause, and then Yuuko spoke. "You two watch yourselves. This one is a bigshot."

"Dully noted." August said. He was keeping his eyes on the shadowy mass above the building all the while paying attention to the doorway that the intruders would be entering inside.

The two of them waited for something to happen and waited until they see the people responsible enter the building. Things were quiet but tense for the both of them.

Yuuko on the other hand was back at the shop, playing chess with both the Mokonas. She was dressed in an elegant yet plain dark red and olive tasseled kimono. How she is communicating with August was with a headset of her own that was something similar to white cat persocom ears.

It was now at the stroke of one in the morning. August and Takuma were still waiting for the people to come into the building. They have yet to see a single person come in.

"I don't see anyone coming yet, Yuuko." August said, still looking at the doorway and looking up at the dark mass Yuuko calls a bigshot.

"They'll come." Yuuko replied to August. "Patience is a virtue you know."

"Absolutely." August agreed. He was still looking. "I haven't made much of a move yet."

"Just let me know when you see someone come in." She requested.

"Roger that Yuuko." August said. His eyes were peeled, keeping himself alert. He felt his shoulder be tapped by Takuma and looks at him. Takuma points to the figures that were heading to the entry way of the gallery. "Well then, speak of the devil."

There were a total of nine figures, dressed in black seemingly to conceal their identity. They were walking up to the entrance to the gallery in a line. Once all nine of them were there, to August's shock, one of them opened without so much as a struggle in opening it. One by one, all of them went inside the building. He looks ahead and notices that there appears to be one more person that's actually being dragged by the hooded figures whom in all likelihood was unconscious.

"I see nine of them. They got inside no problem." August said shakily.

"Hmm, someone must definitely be letting them in." Yuuko said.

"How long has this been going on?" August asks. "According to the curator?"

"He said that this was going on for about three to five days now. It's a wonder how the police never found anything." Yuuko answered.

"Hmmm, they got in without so much as a struggle." Takuma said. "Someone from the inside has to be letting them in."

"That's the most likely scenario that's happening right now." August said in agreement. "Someone inside is more than likely in on this fiasco."

"Speaking of, you two may have to find another way inside seeing as that the front entrance has some sort of security." Yuuko adds. "I've been in the gallery before and I can guarantee that it's being monitored by someone at the front."

"That's convenient." August scoffs. He looks at Takuma. "Takuma, are there any other entry points that go inside the gallery besides the front entrance?"

Takuma thought for a moment then he thought of a door on the side he saw as they were looking for the front entrance of the building. "There is one close entry point that we can get to. It's an emergency exit, but with the security shut down the alarms would not go off." Takuma stated. "We'd have to pry it open though, and lucky for you, I've thought ahead in case that it would lead up to this."

Takuma holds up a crowbar as the tool to get them inside the building.

"Clever." August uttered.

"Seems like the most logical plan seeing as that you two can get in." Yuuko commented. "However, keep in mind of the bigshot please."

"Ok, make sure big scary shadow thing doesn't notice us; check!" August comically stated.

Takuma and August sneak around the building to look for the emergency exit that was shut down. It didn't take long for them to find it, on the side of the building like Takuma said it's at. Takuma puts the crowbar at the crack of the door and pries it open and he holds onto the door opening it wider. August was frozen for a moment but then realizes that no alarms were going off.

"Looks like we are able to get inside now, Yuuko." August said.

"Good. Just watch yourselves inside." Yuuko warns August. "Things could get messy if you two aren't careful."

"Well, let's go on inside and see what's going on." Takuma said to August who is speaking to Yuuko via the headset. He was still holding open the door.

August nods and sets his foot inside the gallery. He looks carefully from side to side of the interior of the building. No one is there.

"Coast is clear. We should have a clear path until we find out where these guys are at." August stated. He took another step inside the building and was observing the area to double check.

Takuma follows August inside the building and silently shuts the emergency exit door. He keeps the crowbar in hand then hands it to August.

August was confused as to why Takuma was handing him the crowbar.

"For your protection August." Takuma says calmly. "There's no telling how dangerous these people are in this building. For the best you hold on to it for the time being."

"W-wait, what about you?" August stuttered.

"I have a lot of tricks up my sleeves." Takuma assured. "They'll have a lot more to put up with me than with you."

August was mildly confused and slightly irritated. He leads on into the dark hallways of the gallery. "They'll have a lot more to put up with me than with you." August silently mocked, this had made Yuuko laugh. "Seriously, where did you find this guy?"

"Oh, we first met at a bar." Yuuko says with a big smile on her face from the other end of the headpiece conversation.

"Of course it's at a bar Yuuko." August flatly stated. "Where else would you have met interesting people?"

Yuuko was laughing more; she has in fact met countless people. Little to August's knowledge, Yuuko has met people that are not from the world he knows about currently. In fact, she has met people from countless other worlds.

August couldn't help but smile, despite the situation they could be in. Hearing Yuuko's laugh was oddly comforting to him.

Before they could go any further or talk anymore, Takuma hushed August. "Do you hear that?" Takuma spoke quietly

August paused for a moment. At first, he couldn't hear much but as things were quiet around him, he could faintly hear chanting or a prayer being recited. He nods.

"I definitely hear something going on." August quietly stated. "We must be getting close."

"Be careful." Yuuko said, with a hint of worry in her voice.

The two men follow the sounds in the hallways of the art gallery that now seem to echo in every direction. It didn't take long for August and Takuma to reach the location of where the group of people are. They at first hide behind a wall the moment they saw something on the other side of it. August took a small peak at what is going on. To his horror, there were a group of hooded people gathered in a circle lit in candle light. In the middle was a purple haired girl on the ground and unconscious.

"Well holy crap." August silently muttered to himself seeing what is in front of him right now. His worst fears were coming true.

"What do you see August?" Asked Yuuko via the headset.

August looks some more, he can definitely hear chanting coming from that circle of people. He hides behind the wall again to avoid being noticed by the circle of people.

"Some Aleister Crowley type of stuff is going on." August quietly answers Yuuko. "They are in a circle and chanting in some language; I think it is Latin they are chanting in. All of them are in black hoods. There's a girl in the middle of that circle also, she looks like she's in major trouble."

"So the curator was right to worry that someone is going to get hurt tonight." Yuuko added. "It sounds like there's going to be ritual… like a sacrifice."

"Oh no, they are not." August quietly growled. His grip on the crowbar tightened, he was getting ready to intervene and disrupt the ritual and save the girl.

"August, there's nine of them and only the two of you." Yuuko said with worry. "Rushing head on would not be the wisest thing for you to be doing."

"Then what are you suggesting?" August hissed. "We can't simply do nothing, there's a girl that's about to get Kali-Ma'd."

"Let Takuma interrupt the ritual first. Once they are all scattered, you get the girl." Yuuko explained. "The rest of it should be pretty easy to follow once all of that is out of the way."

August turns to Takuma but realizes that he isn't there anymore. "Takuma?!" August said as he now looks for him while trying not to be seen by the occultists in the circle. Then August hears a loud scream and footsteps coming from the circle that now appear to scatter. He looks at the now scattered circle of people, now fleeing what appears to be an animal of sorts like a wolf chasing the perpetrators down. August was wide eyed but realizes what he has to do and rushes over to the girl on the ground.

He was stopped in front of by one of the people and he has a knife in his hand. The man lunges at him with a swing and August dodges it. The knife leaves a narrow wound on his arm causing him to yell in pain. He returns with a swing of the crowbar and lands a blow on the hooded man's head, knocking him out.

August comes to the girl who looks no more than eighteen years old and was small in stature. He picks her up, cradling her in his arms. She is still alive but was freakishly light.

The wolf creature chased away the rest of the people out of the area. He comes to August who was at first scared of the animal only for the creature to shift in a dazzling light show back into Takuma. August was glaring at him upon seeing this.

"Show off!" August shouted. "You had me worried for a good second. I thought you went and left me!"

"I suppose I neglected to mention that I can change forms." Takuma explained.

August sighs, he knows now that at the very least they rescued the girl. "We'll I suppose mission accomplished." Said August in relief.

Then a loud otherworldly scream echoes in the gallery. This had startled the both of them.

Takuma looks on his watch, then he looks grimly at August. "It is three in the morning."

August gulped. The scream was uttered again.

"Huh?!" August uttered in confusion. "It can't be?!"

August looks at the clocks, the hour hand was dead on three. It was two in the morning for perhaps no more than fifteen minutes but time seemed to of skipped ahead and went straight to three.

"Something's going on here that isn't right. Time's getting weird here." August spoke into the headpiece. "Plus we got a spirit problem."

"Don't let it touch you!" Yuuko warned. "If it does, you'll end up with the same fate as the night guards!"

August and Takuma sees a mass of what looks like yellows and greens. It has the general appearance of a spider but in the place of spider feet it has human hands. Its face looked like it belongs to an octopus, tentacles and all.

"Now she tells me." August quietly spoke upon seeing the eldritch horror before him.

"Running would be a good idea!" Said Takuma.

The both of them ran. August still has the girl in his arms; he is making sure she gets out of there ok.

The spirit scuttles with an alien speed after the three of them, crawling up the walls and ceiling and back on the floor again. It screams in frustration.

August and Takuma see the main entry way, that's their exit out of the gallery.

"That's our exit!" Takuma shouted as him and August got closer.

There was a guard at the office near the entry way and he sees the two of them including the girl in August's arms. "Hey! You two stay exactly where you are now!" The guard barked. He was in cahoots with the hooded individuals.

"Would love to chat but gotta fly!" August shouted as both He and Takuma ran past the guard in such a speed the breeze followed them.

"Don't look back!" Takuma shouted.

The guard stood there and glared at the both of them and was about to shout but the hand of the spirit touched the guard causing him to scream and collapse to the ground dead.

August was looking back and saw the event taking place and screamed himself, now fearing for his life. "I looked back! I looked back! Holy fuck!" August screamed in utter fear.

Takuma was holding the door open for August to get through with the girl. August ran through the door and kicked open the other door to get through out of the gallery.

"August, remember the black mass over the building?!" Yuuko spoke with urgency.

August didn't hear Yuuko through all the commotion of getting out of the building. "What was that?!" He shouted in confusion.

"The bigshot! Be careful with the bigshot!" Yuuko almost shouted into the headpiece.

August trips and nearly collapses onto the girl and did the best he can to land softly but the girl did it better even in her unconscious state. His Detective Pikachu headpiece came off his head due to the fall.

Takuma was running out of the building close behind August and the spider octopus spirit was hot on his heels trying to kill him also. Takuma caught up to August and reaches for his hand to get up. "Don't just sit there, get up!" Takuma shouted. August reached for his hand and got up as fast as he can.

August sees the eldritch horror scuttling fast towards them. He points and screams "We're gonna die!"

The large yellow and green spider octopus was uttering a scream as it fast approached them only to be crushed by an even more massive paw that was all black. The spider octopus tried digging itself out from beneath the paw but was trapped by the sheer mass of the paw. It screamed again as if in utter panic before the head of the massive black beast bit down on the head of the eldritch horror which then was tossed into the air only to be caught in the mouth of the creature that now crunches down on the lesser spirit before swallowing it. The bigshot Yuuko warned August about was a massive all black Grizzly Bear that towers over even the building. It let out a thunderous roar even though it initially did not notice the two humans looking at it both in awe and in fear.

August scrambled for the Pikachu head set and puts them back on; he could hear Yuuko asking where he is at. "I'm here, I'm alive. I see your bigshot you're talking about." August quietly spoke into the head set.

"So you know now." Yuuko stated calmly.

"It's a very big bear." August said. "We're gonna quietly get ourselves away from it."

"Get the girl; take her to my shop to recover." Yuuko spoke.

August was coming to get the girl from off the ground. Unfortunately, he stepped and heard a snap of a stick beneath his foot. That got the giant bear's attention as it turned and glared with its yellow eyes at August and Takuma. It lets out another booming roar like thunder that rattled their bones. It stood on its hind legs now making itself bigger than the hulking beast already is.

"Damn it, the bear sees us." August hissed. "Got any ideas Yuuko?"

"Take the headphones off." Said Yuuko.

"W-what?" August stuttered, confused by what she means.

"Take the headphones off and place them in front of the bear." Yuuko said, commanding August.

August, not knowing what she'll do, takes the Pikachu headphones off and places them in front of the massive bear and he curls up in the fetal position on the ground hoping for the giant bear to leave him, Takuma, and the girl alone.

The bear roars again and took one step forward that caused the very ground around them to shake despite being a spirit and invisible to the masses. It was about to swipe at August that lies on the ground cowering before the massive bear before it stopped when it heard a voice coming from the headphones.

"Great Spirit, calm your anger!" Yuuko said as loud as she could into the headphones for the massive bear to hear her. The bear looks down at the headphones that spoke to it and goes back on all fours, making a crash shaking the ground beneath it. The bear looked as if it was listening intently to the headphones that spoke to the mighty bear. "I offer myself as a sacrifice, oh mighty spirit."

The bear got closer to the headphones. It at first sniffs the headphones then gently picks up the headphones as if it were a treat then gulped it down its throat. It uttered a satisfied growl as it lumbered away from the group to the redwood forests it likely came from.

It took a moment for August to open his eyes to look around. He felt himself, making sure that he wasn't dreaming. He giggled then laughed. "I'm alive!" August shouted with joy.

Meanwhile, at the shop's entrance, August has the girl in his arms when he walks into the shop. Maru and Moro along with Yuuko were there to greet August when he entered. Yuuko noticed August's wound on his arm. She wore a serious expression on her face as they walked to place the girl on the bed.

August looked at Yuuko, confused by her serious expression at first then he looks at his arm and realizes that it had been bleeding a lot since the commotion in the gallery.

Yuuko gestures August to take a seat. Then she looks at the twins. "Maru, bring me a damp warm towel." Said Yuuko silently. "Moro, bring bandages to mend his wound."

Maru and Moro both nodded "Yes mistress." They both chirped before going to bring the objects to Yuuko for her to use on the wound.

August gives Yuuko a weak smile. "Thanks."

Yuuko smirks, her red eyes looked at his brown. "You've done well." She commented.

"Earlier… while we were in the gallery when we were on the rescue for the girl." August spoke, hesitant to bring it up and at a loss of trying to make sense of earlier. "Did you by any chance experience a time skip, like at all?"

Maru comes into the room with a warm and damp towel to clean up August's wound. She hands the towel to Yuuko. "Thank you Maru." Yuuko said before kissing her forehead and she looks at August's arm, gestures for it while he pulls his sleeve up for Yuuko to get to the wound better and lets her clean it up. Her attention was focused on August's wound and cleaning up the blood on his arm. "It was more subtle for me but yes I had experienced a brief time skip."

"So I wasn't the only one that saw the clock turn to three out of nowhere." Said August, just before wincing to the stinging pain on his wound from Yuuko cleaning his wound on his arm.

"Be strong." Yuuko said. "Continue."

"Sorry." August said. He realizes now that the pain was coming back due to the adrenaline finally wearing off. Talking seems the best he can do to mask the pain he is experiencing right now. "I don't know how to describe it to be honest. It's funny actually saying it now seeing as I had read and listened to stories about how people seem to be having these experiences when things in this world just sort of… glitched. Like, people just end up in a weird place by some freak accident and next thing you know they come back to here."

Once the wound was cleaned up, Yuuko placed the towel Moro came into the room with the bandage wrap for Yuuko to use and hands it to her. "Thank you Moro." Said Yuuko before kissing Moro on her forehead, then she gently begins to wrap up August's wounded arm covering the cut and stop the bleeding. She was also listening intently to what August is explaining while wrapping up his wounded arm.

"And that is just probably one example of many such incidents I hear about." August said. "It's scary just thinking about it now."

Yuuko made a steady effort to wrap August's wounded arm up gently and as tightly she can to stop the bleeding and to let it heal. "The glitches, as people call these events, have been happening a lot. What transpired tonight was far from the only incident that time warped." Yuuko said as she was wrapping his arm tenderly with the bandages. Her expression seems to warm up a little. "For now, you shouldn't worry yourself over this. After all, you did save the girl's life."

August looks over at the teenaged girl that is now, comfortably, lying in bed in safer hands. "Yeah, guess I did." August said now focusing on the incident that took place tonight. "Might have to get her home once she wakes up and recovers from what happened I know she'll be ok later on."

"Indeed, she will be." Said Yuuko.

August thought for a moment, now thinking about her friend. "Takumi's interesting, what's his story?" August asks Yuuko. "I've seen him change into some kind of wolf."

Yuuko nods. "Takumi wasn't actually human when he was born." Said Yuuko. "He used to be a wolf."

This confuses August now, Takumi wasn't even human at all to begin with but was a wolf. "So why's he human?" August asks.

"Takumi wished to be human. He saw his world was changing, bit by bit. He knew it from his heart that he had to adapt and change in order to live or die." Yuuko explained. "He was a lone wolf and had sought for me in his hopes that I can help him live. The only thing he had for compensation was the name his parents gave to him since he was born."

August was frowning, he both pitied Takumi and mildly disappointed. "He wanted it that way?" August said. "How is it that in order to change he had to take on the very form that practically took everything away from him? Right now, people have been nothing short of rotten to each other, especially ones that know only power and nothing else."

Yuuko was looking in August's eyes; she got done wrapping his wound up. "In time you'll learn." Yuuko softly assured August; she looks even deeper in August's eyes and sees the bags under them that seemed to of gotten bigger from his tiredness. She pats August's back. "You're wound is mended now. You should try to get some sleep. Please, stay for tonight, the couch is yours for the night."

August sees that his wound is covered on his arm. He then looks at the clock that is on the wall; it was four twenty-five in the morning. He nodded in understanding.

In the living room, August lies down on Yuuko's couch with a pillow beneath his head. He had to make do with what he has for a bed as it was; despite being big enough to lie across, it was actually not quite as comfortable as it looked although it looked inviting. August covered himself in a blanket. Yuuko was in front of him, smiling softly with her half-lidded eyes on August's tired brown eyes. His own eyes still stare at Yuuko, still wanting to admire her beauty, wishing to let the very sight of her be the last thing he sees before he drifts into slumber. His eyes close with the very last sight being of Yuuko's warm red eyes and her gentle expression.

August was now asleep. Yuuko walks out of the room and sees Maru and Moro, and the Mokonas outside the living room. She gives them a smile. "He's asleep now." Yuuko spoke softly. She then heads to her bedroom up the stairs. The Mokonas were following close behind her.

Maru and Moro both hushed each other as if to not make a sound to disturb August's gentle slumber. They both head off to follow Yuuko to her bed to join her in sleep.

Later on, the Sun rose up in the sky and it was noon. He was slowly waking up from an oddly pleasant dream that filled his head when he slept as it consisted of a lot of butterflies that gently fluttered around him that eventually formed Yuuko in a black and white dress that seems to sparkle and shine before his dreaming eyes. Before the dream could continue, he drifts awake. He could feel something fuzzy on his face; it was the Black Mokona seemingly snuggling on top of his face.

"Alright, cuddle times over, fur ball." August said as he pulled Mokona off his face. The tiny rabbit like creature giggled as it saw that he was awake. He sits up, trying to gain his bearings on where he's at but immediately remembered that he slept at the shop for the night. He stretches his arms before standing up from Yuuko's couch. He heard a conversation going on in another room. He decides to investigate and he sees that the purple haired girl was having a conversation with Yuuko.

"Next thing I know, I just blacked out after having my drink." Said the girl. Her hair was short and a bit messy and her eyes were grey blue. Her stature was quite small, mouse-like even. "I thought it was another string of hazing going on to me by my Sorority. I had no idea how much danger I was in until now."

"You're very lucky to be alive." Said Yuuko. She was dressed in a sunny yellow and orange dress and was comparatively regal compared the girl across from her. Yuuko heard the door slide open and sees August. "Ah, come on in. This one's been curious to know her rescuer."

August chuckled. "Well now, I can't take all the credit." Said August, being modest but was smiling. "Takumi should be the one that gets the real MVP as he was the one that stopped it all from happening."

"Well, you still did take me over here and away from whatever was going on. So you're still a hero in my book" She said. "My name's Dorothy."

"Name's August." He replies.

After a long conversation at the table, August and Yuuko were seeing off Dorothy to her friends outside the shop's fence. She went into a blue SUV and they drove off. The two of them went back into the shop.

"The police have caught the ring leader behind all of the happenings in the gallery." Said Yuuko. "So far they are looking for the other members behind the ritual as well. So far, four of them came forward and admitted to the crime."

"That's good to know." August replied. "So it looks like the Portland Art Gallery won't have to have any issues with any rituals go on at night anymore. Although, I can't help but wonder as to what they were trying to do in the first place? It couldn't have been to just summon some eldritch horror to this world for kicks, could it?"

Yuuko smiles. "Perceptive, aren't you?" Yuuko commented. "I don't believe that was their real goal though but it wasn't far off from what they were trying to do. I think it was something else they were hoping to do being their real goal. But, I can't claim to know everything, only thing that we do know is that the ritual was stopped and what they were trying to do have failed. However, there's no denying that it may be part of something bigger."

August was nervous. "Do you really think so?" August asked.

"I have theories." Yuuko said. "But, so far they are only theories. For now, you shouldn't worry yourself over it. One step at a time."

August nods in understanding. She was right and he knows it.

Yuuko's expression brightened and looks at August. "Think you can make me some Tare and Chashu Ramen?" Asked Yuuko.

"Sure thing. Always like Ramen myself." August answered, smiling at the prospect of having that dish.

"And while you're at it, some sake to go with the ramen." Yuuko said, now grinning.

August grimaced. "You're day drinking?!"

"What's wrong, I'm celebrating your heroics last night and I didn't get the chance to do so. So I figured we'd do it now." Yuuko said, now all smiles.

"Hero! Hero!" Maru and Moro cheered and chanted.

August sighs in defeat. "Alright, just don't make me regret it the next day." August said before heading to the kitchen.

Yuuko sat on the couch, still smiling. The two Mokonas hopped to her side, both of which have a worried look on their face. "Do you think it's him? Is he the one behind that ritual?" The White Mokona asked.

Yuuko looked and picks both the Mokonas up and put them on her lap and pets the both of them. Her expression was serious but warm. "I don't know. For now, we'll have to take this nice and easy, keep it a slow pace." Yuuko said reassuringly. "We'll have to do our best to keep everything in check."

Both the Mokonas nodded, their expressions brightening up. They trust Yuuko's word.

The aroma of the broth was flowing from the kitchen and the three of them. All three of them were smiling widely now. "Seems our food is ready." Said Yuuko as she stood up. She was grinning. "Last one to the kitchen's a rotten egg."

Yuuko began to run to the kitchen with the Mokona's hopping to the kitchen in their race as well to see how August's cooking is going. All of whom were hungry and want to brighten the mood.


	3. Chapter 3

Three days have passed by since the events of the incident in the Portland Art Gallery. The curator had since given compensation to Yuuko being a small bonsai that he had for five years. There was also minor assistance to the local police force that is still looking for the remaining members of the ritual that failed. It was a busy week end for August at the shop. Now, it is his day off.

Now, August is in a metro bus with Markus, who also has a day off from work. It was a particularly crowded bus, this made August slightly irritated but tried to keep his composure for Markus whom is sitting next to him. He observes the people around him. Disconnected, distant, toxic, soulless; there are plenty of adjectives that fill his head for people whenever he's out and about, being crowded in such a tight space especially. As much as he hated the bus, parking was hard to come by in Portland and he unfortunately had the misfortune of not being able to park close to where the planned meeting is supposed to take place.

He sighs and leans his head back to the back cushion of the seat wishing to get comfortable for the ride and shutting his eyes to hopefully take his focus away from the people around him. For a short while it worked but he eventually couldn't help but feel eyes on him and opens his brown eyes to see that he, or more specifically Markus, was being watched. Across from them, a stranger was looking at Markus in disgust, August wasn't entirely sure if the person was a he or a she. All he saw was someone dressed in combination of rainbows and blacks on top of having more piercings than he could count with hair that is brightly colored like a rainbow in contrast to Markus' black and purple long sleeves and August's navy blue and gold short sleeves. He looks at this person then looks at Markus and notices why the stranger was glaring at Markus who was shyly looking away from the one across the bus. August could definitely see that Markus' anxiety was kicking in and August glared at the person across the bus. He could clearly see that this stranger's eyes had a distinct crazed look to them.

"What are you looking at?" August barked at the stranger across the bus.

What happened next, August was not prepared for as the person stood up and was about to lunge at Markus with their fists and feet. August stood between Markus and the now assaulting stranger and proceeded to throw a few swings at the person. Then a brawl ensued in the bus that now had no choice but to stop. In the midst of the brawl, August realized that the person he was trading blows with was a woman beneath the rainbows and blacks. The two traded obscenities in the middle of the fight that only lasted a surreal slow two minutes with August seeing nothing but red with fury. The fight was short lived, August and Markus were kicked off the bus with the offending woman staying on the bus blowing a victory raspberry at August.

"Screw off! Who needs you anyway?!" August curses at the shrinking bus as he shook his fist.

"August, you've went and done it again." Markus scolded August.

"Why are you giving me crap? That lady was about to drop kick you straight on your menards for sitting in a position you were comfortable with." August retorted. "I couldn't just sit there and do nothing."

"Still though that doesn't give you a reason to-" Markus protested but was cut off by August.

"Defend you?" August snorted. "Good enough for me. Someone had to teach scumbag a lesson."

Markus sighs; it wasn't getting through to August. He changes the subject but his nerves and anxiety were kicking in. "S-so how far along do we have left on f-foot?" Markus stutters with shot nerves.

August looks at Markus and couldn't help but feel bad for making a scene on the incident. Regardless, he didn't want to see Markus hurt. "Surprisingly, we actually don't have that much further to go on foot." August answers Markus. "It's about a five to ten minute walk to the Chinese Garden. They got tea there and that's actually where she'll meet us."

"T-tea… that would be lovely." Said Markus, he was slowly calming down.

The two of them now go on their way to the Chinese Garden to meet up with August's boss.

Meanwhile, at the teas hop of the Chinese Garden, Yuuko sits at a table patiently waiting for August and his friend to arrive. She is dressed in a red and black Chinese Cheongsam style shirt with a cherry blossom adorning the front. Her long hair streams behind her. Her long legs wear black jeans that seem to seamlessly go along with the shirt she is wearing as there appears to be petals of the cherry blossom traveling down. Yuuko's elegant black high heels shined in the sunlight that beams into the teashop. To anyone passing by, she would have looked like a model.

Yuuko took her flip phone out of her pocket and looks at the time. She hummed, and she puts her old phone back. It was Twelve-thirty in the afternoon, and she was at the tea shop for roughly fifteen minutes. She closes her red eyes and her ears open up, taking in the ambient sounds in the surrounding area around her. The drip of water the drops from the leaf, the sounds of the tea cups gently being lifted up and landing on the tables around her, the sounds of chatter, the sounds of cricket and cicadas, the sound of the wind chime's song as it is blown by the slow breeze, and the slow breeze itself. To most, it is simply noise. To Yuuko, it is a symphony of ambiance playing in her ears. Her breathing slow and deep, through the nose, relaxed.

After the symphony of ambiance that filled her ears, it became replaced with deafening silence to her ears. Her eyes slowly opened to her half-lidded gaze. Her red eyes were greeted with the glowing green eyes that slither about invisibly to the garden's teas hop. Attached to the green eyes was the body of a shadowy serpent that hovers in the air. The two were smiling at each other.

"Yuuko! I was not expecting to slither by to see you." The shadowy serpent said telepathically to Yuuko. Her voice sounded slow and casual, smooth and easy, a strong hiss could be heard in her words.

"Alas, it is after all Hitsuzen, Nagina." Yuuko responded telepathically to Nagina. "Feel free to stick around and keep me company. I am waiting for some friends to arrive."

"Oh, who might they be?" Nagina asks.

"My new full time employee and his friend." Yuuko responded. "I want to get to know him and his friend better."

"I see." Nagina replied. "Does your friend have a name?"

Nagina slowly surrounds Yuuko with the length of her long serpentine body that seems to practically dance around Yuuko. The serpent was curious.

"August and his friend Markus." Yuuko stated. "They should be here any minute now."

"Hmm, interesting." Said Nagina.

The shadowy serpent wraps a loose loop around Yuuko's waist and the Witch of Wishes grins amused at Nagina's teasing. "Not trying to wrap me up again are you?" Said Yuuko playfully. "Still haven't learned your lesson back in India long ago?"

Nagina winces. "Old habits tend to stick around." Nagina said. "It wasn't fun being pushed out of a tree like that. Of course, that is how we ironically met."

"Knots and everything." Yuuko telepathically said with a giggle.

Outside of the Chinese Garden's walls stood August and Markus. The garden never ceased to amaze Markus despite visiting it multiple times. To August, it was soothing just being there.

"Seems a little cliché, don't you think August?" Said Markus, inquisitive as to why they are meeting in a tea shop in the Chinese Garden.

"My boss wanted to make a statement and leave an impression, I guess." August answered.

Before August took another step into the Chinese Garden, he sees a long shadowy mass slither out of the tea shop. He recognizes the shadowy serpent from before with the stripes and face. Soon enough the set of green glowing eyes looked back at August with her maw grinning. She slithers toward August in the air while looking at Markus also. Her length now surrounds the both of them, curiously looking at the two of them. Her tongue flickers in the air; she recognizes the smell of August and Markus well. August observes all of this while petrified in fear of this serpent's potential power.

Markus looks at August, confused as to why he is standing very still and looking up. He looks up also and looks back at August. "What are you looking at August?" Markus asked. He can't see the massive snake that surrounds the both of them as to him there's nothing there.

"I-I don't know." August said as he was shuttering.

"At ease." Nagina spoke with a hiss. "I, Nagina, am not going to hurt you at all. Your friend in there thinks very highly of you."

August nods. Nagina slowly slithers off to the air with her body seemingly dancing in the sky like a kite. She had left as soon as she arrived. August was still frozen for a brief moment then snaps himself out of his fear, breathing heavily.

"Are you alright August?" Markus asked now concerned for his friend's wellbeing.

"I'm alright… you don't want to know what I saw." August said shakily.

Markus nodded in understanding. "Whatever you say." Markus replied not questioning his friend.

When August found the strength to walk again, the two of them continued to the tea shop. When August and Markus entered to find Yuuko patiently sitting at a table. Her red eyes were looking at the two of them with her warm smile on her face. August returns the smile to Yuuko with a smile of his own. Markus on the other hand was wide eyed by the sight of her, 'surely this person isn't his boss' Markus thought. The two of them sat at the table, joining Yuuko.

"Good afternoon, August." Yuuko greeted him as he took a seat at her table in the tea shop. "Didn't experience any issues on the way I hope?"

August was embarrassed, now remembering the incident in he tried to push back in his head but now has to recount the issue to why they were delayed to Yuuko. "We were delayed a bit. Took the bus to get here but ended up getting ourselves kicked off due to a scuffle I got myself in." August explained himself to Yuuko.

Yuuko frowned and tisked. "It's such a pity to hear that August. Next time, try to keep yourselves out of trouble, around people in public at least." Yuuko said. Then her attention has turned to Markus who is looking at her, with eyes wide seemingly still trying to process her beauty. Her half lidded red eyes were now on his dark brown eyes. A smile now appears on her face again. "I don't believe we've met. I am Yuuko Ichihara. What's your name?"

Markus was still wide eyed. 'She's so breathtakingly beautiful.' Markus thought in his head. He scrunches his eyes shut and opens them multiple times to snap himself out of his stupor. "Sorry about that. My name's Markus Kipling. Before you say anything, I am, along with my family, are related to Rudyard Kipling." Markus stated.

"Oh, so like the author of the books?" Yuuko asked. She became intrigued by this connection.

"Yeah, that's him." Markus replied.

"Interesting." Yuuko said. Then she looks at August. "You practically have a celebrity for a friend August."

August chuckles. "Well, I guess you can put it that way Yuuko." August says.

Markus blushes, this wasn't the first time he was commented on regarding his relation to Rudyard but it still makes him feel small in such large shoes to fill.

"I'll get some tea for the three of us." August said as he stood up.

Yuuko nods and has her red eyes on Markus smiling at him. This made Markus momentarily mesmerized again before snapping out of it. "I'm gonna go with August. I realize he isn't thinking about snacks." Markus said, trying to keep his composure as he stood up also and go to August in line.

Yuuko then reaches her bag and has a book in hand and quietly begins to read, keeping herself occupied as she waits for them to come back to the table.

August notices Markus tagging along with him in the line. "She made you nervous?" He asks Markus.

"Not so much nervous as I just wasn't sure on what to say to her." Markus replies as he points to August and Yuuko. "Are you sure you two are not dating?"

"W-what? No!" August said as he shook his head vigorously. His eyes were wide and his cheeks were red. "I work for her."

"Oh come on now August. You've landed a good one with her. She's beautiful and you know what she really cares for you." Markus said as he was grinning toothily. "Your boss looks like a fashion model."

"I just work for Yuuko." August protested as he was looking away but also looking at Yuuko who is reading a book. "Plus her store is very weird."

"Oh? But it seems she has invited us for tea in this place of all places instead of a Starbucks. Now tell me, what kind of boss does that for their employees, hmmm?" Markus teased. He notices August is looking right at Yuuko and looks back at August. "You like her."

"I told you, she wanted to leave an impression on you." August said then realizes he was looking at Yuuko for too long and turns his attention to Markus. "Plus, it's nothing like that, I swear on me mum!"

"Oh, like you didn't try to get an idea of what's beneath all the clothes on her?" Markus continues teasing. That question made August turn very red and he turns his head slowly away from Markus. It dawned on Markus now that August did exactly that at one point. "You have!"

"Neither c-confirm n-nor d-deny!" August stuttered. "Man I really wish I c-could explain this b-better to you."

"Explain what?" Markus asked, now putting his hand on his ear to listen. "Your secret is safe with me."

August finally having enough of the teasing decides to get it over with and just flat out tell him. Fortunately, all he had to do was whisper it to him. "Yuuko Ichihara is…" He looks around, looks at Yuuko, then back to Markus to whisper. "the Witch of Wishes."

This made Markus freeze up in shock. He isn't actually sure if he should be scared or impressed that August is working for her; maybe even have her as his boon. It took a slow fifteen seconds for Markus to finally say something quietly. "Are you serious?"

"Yes." August replies.

"But how?" Markus asks, now genuinely interested in how August met her in the first place.

"You remember the day I got fired due to jackass taking up management at my old work place. She offered me a job at her place in exchange of a wish I want granted." August said.

"Are you wishing for revenge?" Markus said in silent horror.

"Nothing like that." August replies. "As a matter of fact, meeting the urban legend face to face basically made me forget why I was pissed at Jimmy in the first place."

Markus nods in understanding. "But… what exactly did you wish for?"

"This world to be better, I just wanted things to make sense again." August said.

This gave Markus pause to that statement of August's wish. "Do you really think she is capable of doing that for you?" Markus asks in disbelief.

"I don't know." August admitted but he finally wears a smile. "But, I trust her."

Markus nods, he was still worried about August but sees that he seems happy with it. "Are you sure she didn't hypnotize you or something. Her eyes just drew me in like moth to a fire."

August chuckles. "You too, eh? Bear with me, I couldn't keep my eyes off of her the first time I saw her. I am still trying not to get super mesmerized by her. Even just glancing at Yuuko it sort makes me feel strangely relaxed." August explained.

"Ok good, I thought I was the only one trying not to feel like a buffoon staring at her." Markus said with relief.

The two of them finally get to the register and order the tea and snacks. Then they return to rejoin Yuuko at the table to have their hot tea.

"So Markus, I have heard you make cakes for a living." Yuuko asks Markus as she sips her tea. She was interested in knowing about his life.

"I do in fact make cake for a bakery." Markus stated proudly. "Wedding cakes, graduation cakes, birthday cakes; you name it. All custom made by me with a bit of help."

Yuuko smiles, she is intrigued by this. "Do you make cake on the side as well outside of work?" Yuuko asks.

Markus nods. "Yeah, that isn't all that I do for hobbies." Said Markus. "I do a bit of writing on the side."

"Fascinating." Yuuko said, and then her eyes turned to August. "Are there things you do for fun, any hobbies you do too?"

August thought for a moment. There weren't too many hobbies that he took up. Nearly every single one of the hobbies he had tried, he lost interest in. He knows he did things growing up but he seemed to have done less and less as if his motivation to do things for his own leisure seemed to have died as he got older.

"Didn't you draw all the time when you were younger?" Markus asked August. "I know you have a folder full of your sketches somewhere."

August nods. "I have. My skill may be a bit rusty though. I haven't drawn anything in a while." He said.

"A Picasso I see." Yuuko commented on August being an artist.

"More like Amano to be exact." August chuckles. "At least that's what some people that saw my sketches commented on at least."

"As in Yoshitaka Amano?" Yuuko asks.

"Yeah, like him." August replied, nodding. He now wonders if Yuuko does anything on her spare time for her leisure and not just drink alcohol all the time and grant wishes to people. "What do you do then Yuuko? I know I worked for you for a few days now and I haven't seen you do anything much for yourself, granted I was too engrossed in the job that I might not have been paying attention."

"You'd surprised to know that I do quite a bit of things on my spare time." Yuuko stated. "Let's see… I do puzzles, chess, badminton, baseball, cosplay, juggling, read books and manga and poetry, knitting, checkers, Chinese checkers, dance exercises, karaoke, Black Jack and Poker, Domino stacking, dress up, Dungeons and Dragons, and of course… partying and drinking." Yuuko finishes off the list of hobbies and lets out a big breath and is wearing a toothy grin on her face.

All the while Yuuko listed off the hobbies she did, August's and Markus' jaws dropped as if they hit the floor by the time she reached the second to last hobby. August had shut his mouth with a slight grimace when she mentions 'partying and drinking' in the end of the list of hobbies she said to them.

"Of course, it had to end at drinking." August said stoically while a small laugh escaped his lips.

Markus looks at August and looks at Yuuko. "Very interesting list of things you do for hobbies, Yuuko." Markus comments.

Yuuko nods as she leans in towards both Markus and August. "That's not even the half of what I do to keep myself occupied."

"That bored eh?" August asks while pondering what else Yuuko does.

"More trying to have fun than bored to say the least." Yuuko replies to August as she looks at him. "Tonight, the five of us are going to have so much fun."

Confused by this, August raises a brow. "The five of us?"

"The Mokonas will be coming along with us." Yuuko said. "My, they do more than sit around and look cute you know August."

Markus tilted his head also confused. "What's a Mokona?"

"You'll meet them. You'll find that they are quite cute." Yuuko says to Markus sweetly.

"I suppose I should have Nina tag along with us then if we're going out tonight if that's alright with you Yuuko?" Markus asks.

Yuuko nods. "The more the merrier. Six it is!" Yuuko cheered.

August has a small smile creep up on his face to this thought. He has a good feeling about the coming time he and Markus will be having with Yuuko and the Mokonas.

The three of them stood from their table and have left the Chinese Garden to make their way in the city; for fun, for laughs, and lots and lots of alcohol.


	4. Chapter 4

At a playground in Portland, the sun was setting. The sky grew darker and the lights in the buildings and streetlights come on gradually as the sky grew darker. Where they are at is lit up enough where viewing isn't an issue as it is a perfect place for rounds upon rounds of alcohol. The group of four people were sitting at a picnic table, near the playground.

"So why are we doing this in a park?" August asks, raising a brow with mild irritation in his voice.

Yuuko had brought a bottle of sake from her shop much to August's objection of brining sake around. She had poured herself and five other glasses of sake for the others to drink. "I haven't done this in ages since I left Japan." Yuuko said with her smirk on her face, clearly happy to do her drinking party with August, Markus, and a woman who had just joined the three of them.

She sits next to Markus and across from Yuuko. She has dark tan skin and has long black hair. Her eyes were hazel almost appearing like a yello. Her clothing was casual; jeans, a blue shirt, and an elegant nose piercing.

"So, you're Yuuko." The woman asks. In contrast to her darker skin, Yuuko appears almost as white as snow compared to her. "I am Nina. I used to live in India before coming here."

"I'm glad to make your acquaintance Nina, and yes, I am Yuuko." Yuuko replies.

As the two women were talking, Markus looks at the glasses set on the picnic table. There were six glasses of sake, one for him to drink. He never considered himself much of a drinker, let alone drink one drop of alcohol in his life. Another thing has confused him; there were six glasses of sake but only Yuuko, August, his girlfriend Nina, and himself. "Why the two extra glasses, Yuuko?" Markus asks Yuuko, his eyes filled with confusion.

Yuuko looks at Markus seeing that he is confused. "These glasses are for the Mokonas."

She lifts her bag up onto her lap then two small rabbit like creatures poked their heads out and giggled, one white and one black. Both the Mokonas saw the glasses of sake and their smile grew bigger.

"Yay a party!" The Black Mokona squeaked.

"Party! Party!" The White Mokona squeaked its cheer.

Nina and Markus for the first time saw the small rabbit like creatures. Markus was mildly amused by the sight of the small creatures. Nina on the other hand couldn't hide her adoration for the small creatures.

"Aw! Markus, look at them!" Nina almost squeaked at the sight of the two Mokonas. "What are they?"

"Mokonas are Mokona." Yuuko stated.

Nina didn't quite understand what Yuuko meant but she didn't so much care as all she knew was that the Mokonas were cute.

August all the while seeing this go on sat next to Yuuko. He couldn't help but feel slightly awkward sitting next to his boss who Markus teased August about being his new girlfriend earlier. Despite this, he remained composed and made himself sure that he wasn't going to embarrass himself. Soon after, he eased himself up knowing that he may as well enjoy the party.

The two Mokonas hopped out of the bag and waddled to their glasses that were between, August's and Yuuko's.

Markus became even more perplexed by the sight of the Mokonas that were joining them in drinking sake. "Hold on, do the Mokonas… they drink?" Markus asks, seeing the curious rabbit creatures joining them in having sake.

"They certainly do." Yuuko replies. "Along with one-hundred-eight techniques."

August looks at the two Mokonas after hearing that they apparently have some kind of power to them. "What do they do exactly?" He asks.

The Black Mokona turns to August. "I can see spirits, as well as being very good at writing in kanji!" Squeaks the Black Mokona.

The White Mokona also faces August. "I am able to dimension travel! It's been a long time since I've last did it though." White Mokona squeaks. "I am also quite the artist! Maybe I can help you brush up on the art of yours."

August looks at the White Mokona specifically. "You heard I do sketches?" August asks confused at first but then he realizes that the two rabbit creatures likely heard the conversation from earlier from inside the bag with their large rabbit ears. "Eh, never mind. I realize the both of you have really good hearing."

"Sketching is a breeze for me!" The White Mokona squeaks excitedly as it hops with joy.

August smiles at the White Mokona. "Well, I would be alright with you helping me out with brushing up on my skills. It'd be good to have a drawing buddy." August said.

Shortly after, the group started their drinking party.

August was a slow drinker, savoring the taste of sake. He had sake before when he was at the shop but this was a different type of sake than the one he had before. The taste was strong but he likes it.

Markus took a sip of the sake for him to taste. The burning sensation of the alcohol on his tongue and down his throat made him silently gag. He was never really a fan of alcohol. He puts the sake down and waits for someone to finish a glass so he can give someone a glass.

Nina slowly drinks the sake. She was used to some of the alcohol she had before.

Both the Mokonas have practically inhaled the sake down their mouths. For such small creatures, they have quite the appetite.

Yuuko, with grace, drinks the sake as though it were water to her. She has long grown used to the taste of sake, yet she rather enjoys the taste of sake. Coupled with good company, it makes it all the more enjoyable for her. Yuuko notices Markus wasn't able to finish his sake. "Want me to finish that for you?" She asks Markus.

Markus nods. "Yeah, I was never really a drinker myself. Thank you though."

Yuuko, after finishing her drink, takes Markus' sake to finish.

August had snuck a bottle of water to Markus across the table. "Here."

"Thanks." Markus said before washing away the taste in his mouth to his relief.

Yuuko finishes her other sake. "Any refills?" Yuuko offers. Markus understandably didn't respond since Yuuko knew his answer. August and Nina shook their heads as they both drove in cars, although August has his car parked nearby his apartment. He simply didn't wish to make himself drunk in front of his friend Markus. The only ones that wanted refills were the Mokonas that cheered gladly for more drinks. "Well, I guess the three of us will finish the rest of the sake then."

After the drinking party was over, Markus and Nina bid their farewells to August and Yuuko before the two of them drove off back to their homes in Nina's car. August, Yuuko, and the Mokonas were left at the park. August looks at Yuuko.

"So, what'd you think of Markus and Nina?" August asks with a toothy grin on his face.

"I think they were really nice." Yuuko commented. "Markus seems very shy though."

August nods. "He's been like this since moving to the States." August says. "I've been looking after Markus for as long as the high school years." He grimaces, August still feels bad for Markus and a lot of the things he had went through in those years. He felt like there was more he could have done to help him.

"There's more to those early years, are there August?" Yuuko asks. Her elbow resting on the table with her hand supporting her head, Yuuko was curious.

"There are unfortunately." August stated. "The worst one that Markus had experienced was basically therapy… at least that's what I was told before being shooed out. Had I have known better then, it was more of a session with the Men in Black that messed the poor guy up."

Yuuko wears a frown on her face. The Mokonas on the table also frowned, sad for Markus.

"Poor Markus." The White Mokona quietly squeaked.

"Mokona will make sure to brighten Markus' day up next time he's with us." The Black Mokona squeaks its declaration.

August gave the two Mokonas a small smile as he petted both of them on their heads. "You two are too sweet." Said August. "As of now, I know he's feeling a little better since being with Nina and having a pet boa that I swear he considers her a daughter to him."

Yuuko smirks. "He seems to have a way with the ladies alright. The two of them have been dating for two years you said?" Yuuko asks with August nodding to the question. "He's also got a Boa? Boa Constrictor Constrictor or Boa Constrictor Imperitor?"

August shrugs. He has seen Markus' snake a few times. "Not sure other than she's a big one." August replies. "Markus calls her his little Lucy."

Yuuko chuckles to the irony of the name. She then became curious of August's personal life. "So, what about you, do you have anyone in your life that you want to share it with?"

"Seeing as I see spirits and am trying to not look like a tinfoil hat wearing guy, I figured I'd be single for a while. Last relationship I was in was a long time ago though." August was deep in thought for a moment trying to think back to the last time he was with someone. "Six years ago was the last time I was in a relationship with a lady. I'm ok with being single for a time. When I'm ready, I'll know."

Yuuko hummed. "I see. Then again, it more than likely has been so long that Markus seemed excited seeing us two in the same building together." Yuuko said.

August raised a brow and furrowed another. "You overheard Markus teasing me earlier, didn't you?"

Yuuko couldn't help but let out a small snicker. "Yes I have. It's as if he thought we'd make a cute couple." She said. Her smile a tease but sees that August was blushing to the statement with her hearing the conversation he and Markus had. "Oh, don't get yourself worried, you and I are pretty good friends in such a short amount of time after all August."

"Well, yeah we have become pretty quick friends come to think of it, Yuuko." August replies.

Yuuko looks in her bottle of sake to see how much she has left. It appears to have just enough for two more glasses. A warm smile finally grew on her face. "I'll tell you what, I propose a toast." Yuuko stated as she fills the two glasses with the remaining sake until the bottle is empty. She hands a glass to August that's confused and mildly unsure of what Yuuko is doing. Yuuko raises her glass as she looks at August, then he raises his glass in response. "To our bond together!"

The two Mokonas cheered at the declaration Yuuko made for her and August.

With that, both Yuuko and August clicked glasses and drank the remaining sake. August feels strangely honored by this action and statement as he knows now he has been in a bond with Yuuko, the Witch of Wishes for a short while now. Only when she made the toast did it mean more to him.

"This… this is nice. Thank you." August said, still unsure of what to say next. Then a thought came to his mind, something that he thinks Yuuko might like. "You know, when the chance arises, I know a winery some hours away. I haven't been there in a while but I know it's got pretty good tasting wine the both of us might like."

Yuuko smirks. "My, my, I never took you for someone that partakes in wine tasting. One of your hobbies I take it." She asks. "A fine offer you're making for me."

"Something I used to do a while back." August responded. "I kind of want to thank you for this little party, really."

She nods. "I see. Then we will do that one day." Yuuko said, she stretches her arms outwards and yawns quietly. "Well, we should probably head back to the shop. We have a little customer coming tomorrow, August."

"Alright, guess I'll be spending the night then, Yuuko." August replied.

After that, August, Yuuko, and the Mokonas have went back to the shop. Yuuko dresses in her white sleeping robe and enters her bedchambers to sleep soundly. The Black and White Mokonas cuddled up against one another in sleep. August, despite Yuuko's beautiful face filling his head, has trouble sleeping. His mind races as it always has for a long time.

August, lying in bed, has his eyes still seemingly wide open despite the bags beneath his eyes. The curse of insomnia still cruelly keeps him awake with his thoughts occupying his mind. The events of earlier in the day, the cruelty of humanity's heart both manipulative and spiteful, and the goodness of people completely overshadowed. Yet, Yuuko gives him hope. He pondered and thought as he has for years even then.

August slowly sits up, dressed in his undershirt and pajamas. He rubs his eyes, seemingly wiping the tiredness out of his eyes. He comes out of the bed and wanders about the quiet and sleeping shop, still curious about the shop and what it also has.

He peeks past one of the doors in the shop. It is the attic of the house. The place fascinates August, the dim lighting is just enough to make out what lies inside. He quietly steps inside of the room. On one side it's filled to the brim with books despite being a deceptively small room. Another side of it has strange objects that seem to be from antiquity, some of which he can't pinpoint on what point in time they were from, a small circular window that faces outward towards the gate.

He took another step inside the room only for him to look down and see a large white magic circle on the floor of the attic room. The patterning was intricate and detailed. August could make out certain details on the circle that stick out the most to him. The four symbols that make up the corners of the circle, the likes of which he doesn't have a clue to the meaning of what they are. On the outer rim, it has what appear to be signs of the zodiac. The inner part of the circle has the phases of the moon going in a circle around another that he can definitely tell is a symbol of an eye, fittingly wide open as though it sees all things that go on in the world.

After having seen the room in its entirety, he leaves and quietly shuts the door. He moves on to another room to look at, he notices that there was a door just slightly ajar. August silently opens the door and peaks past the door only to slightly jump a bit. This is Yuuko's sleeping chamber. He knows he wasn't supposed to be there though mild curiosity won him over. He looks again and sees that the bed is luxurious and large. There were three masses in the bed; he could only assume that the three were Maru, Moro, and Yuuko sleeping together. Yuuko is in the middle, her long black hair streamed down the bed like quiet rivers. She sleeps peacefully in bed with Maru and Moro at her side holding on to Yuuko as though she is their mother. Not wishing to disturb the peaceful moment of sleep the three of them were having, he slips his head back out of the room and slowly and gently shuts her door with a small click being careful not to make any noise to wake them.

August quietly makes his way back to his bedroom. He yawns as he stretches, the tiredness in his eyes were slowly overwhelming him. He rubs his eyes again as though he was fighting sleep but is losing that battle as he comes in to bed and under the covers. He then closes his eyes and drifts to sleep peacefully.

Meanwhile, in a rural part of Portland outside the city earlier in the night, Markus kissed Nina goodbye before leaving the house. Nina's house isn't too far away from his own place he shares with his mother and father. Walking home was safe enough for him since it is only five minutes away from Nina's. He walked home in the night with the street lights being the lights that guided him home.

Markus couldn't help but have a wide smile on his face. He was happy for August that he still thinks that he has found himself a lady. Markus has met the strikingly beautiful woman, despite later learning that Yuuko is in fact the Witch of Wishes, as August's boss and close friend. Markus couldn't help but have a small skip to his stride with the knowledge that August could be dating her, at least that was what he thought in his head knowing that August was being terribly bashful about Yuuko being his boss and sees that he more than likely won't admit it any time soon to anyone for liking Yuuko a lot. For now, he has a boa to say hello to when he gets back home.

As he was walking home, a fog rolls in, seemingly out of nowhere. It wasn't too unusual as Oregon has been known to get fairly foggy though the fog that surrounds him was unusually thick. Markus' walk that was supposed to be five minutes seemed to take even longer, almost forever. It was beginning to unnerve him as he notices that the streetlights were gone or not visible due to the thickness of the fog. He began to run, the concrete turned into grass beneath his feet. As soon as the fog dissipated Markus finds himself beyond confused.

He was in a clearing of a rainforest in front of a large house that almost resembles the Taj Mahal. He held his head in his hands, confusion overwhelming him as he hadn't experienced this before in his life and now dearly wishes August was there to help him.

"Oh God, oh God!" Markus silently screamed as he quivered. "W-what's g-going on?!"

"Hello again Markus." A soft voice spoke with a hiss evident in her speech. "It has been forever since we've last met."

Markus looks up and sees a woman clad in a black and red robe and dress seemingly dressed in the most revealing way possible to be a tease. Her long black hair streams down her head with red fringes at the ends of her hair. Her eyes were a striking green. She bares a staff that resembles a golden cobra. She comes closer to Markus, she has a bindi dot on her forehead showing that she is Hindu, and upon closer look her pupils were slits like snake eyes.

"W-who are you?" Markus stuttered, his nerves causing him to shake.

"Why… you don't remember me Markus?" The question almost shocked the woman. She got closer to him, her eyes seem to almost glow looking into Markus' eyes. His pupils widened almost to the point where his brown irises are gone while looking into her gaze unable to look away as he is now in a trance. "I… am Nagina. You'll remember me soon enough."


	5. Chapter 5

Dawn has come to Portland Oregon with the Sun rising in the Eastern sky. It is still cloudy in the sky but the rays of the Sun slowly make the clouds move away from its beams of light. The dew from last night on the grass shimmers gently in the light of the sun. The shop slowly wakes up with activity. Maru and Moro were the first ones up, the Mokonas were not far behind in waking up and scurrying about the shop, and lastly Yuuko wakes up from her slumber and greets the day as she stretches her arms and body. August on the other hand did not wake up from his sleep as his insomnia from last night made him stay awake too long. To August, sleep felt very good and his body was keen in staying asleep.

"Hi there." A small voice could be heard in his room. August did not wake up from that voice. "Hello, Mister Sleepy Man."

August stirs in his sleep and nuzzles his pillow. He purrs, the guest bed certainly feels good to him sleeping in it. His subconscious has heard the small voice. "F-five more… m-minutes." August slurs unconsciously. His body was determined to stay in bed.

"Well ok Mister Sleepy Man." The tiny voice replied. The voice sounded like it belongs to a boy that could be at the age of ten years old. "But I just have a question for you mister. Am I in the right place?"

August is slowly waking up, his eyes were furrowed. He rises up slowly, sitting up on his guest bed to scold the voice only that he can't find the voice at first. He rubs the sleep in his eyes to see if he can have another look for the small voice that has woken him up. He still can't find him.

"Alright, I'm up. Where are you?" August growled.

"Down here Mister Sleepy Man!" The small voice called to August. He looks at the night stand and discovers that the little voice belongs to a very small spider with large expressive eyes that looks at him. His eyes were locked on the tiny spider and it waves at him in greeting with one of its front legs. "Hi!"

Realizing that he has a spider in his room and all senses of it belonging to a child quickly vanish and was suddenly replaced with a mild dose arachnophobia as he jerks back away from the tiny spider. "Oh snap!" August shouted. He is looking at the tiny spider that is looking at him, now having the expression on his face like he's sad.

"Wait! Don't be scared of me! I'm friendly!" The small spider pleaded as he waves both his front legs as if waving to calm August down.

August was at first scared of the little spider only to take a better look at him and forms a second opinion on the little arachnid. "Oh, you're a jumping spider right?" August asks.

"I look like one. You're exactly correct!" The jumping spider replies. "Although, what I really wanted to ask is have you seen the shop owner anywhere?"

August went from adoration to being perplexed. Then he realizes that he had spent another night in the shop with Yuuko. One more thing stuck into his mind, and then he speaks out loud in realization. "Man she really wasn't kidding when she said we were getting a little customer."

The jumping spider giggles. "Well, I am a little one after all." He skitters about on the night stand as if he were dancing. "Can you help me find her?"

Before August could make a response, the Black Mokona hops about into the guest room. "Ah, there's our customer!" Said the Black Mokona excitedly.

The small arachnid turns his body in the direction of the black rabbit like creature. "Hi!" He said as he waves his front leg at the Black Mokona. Mokona is about as big as a small rabbit. The spider is no bigger than a quarter. The small spider was curious. "I've never seen you before. What are you?"

"Mokona!" Black Mokona squeaks as the rabbit creature happily bounces. "What's your name little guy?"

"My name is Asabikeshiinh." The small spider answers as he seemingly gives a bow to the Mokona with his front leg across his lower front half of his body and tipping forward all the while his abdomen rises higher. "Well, at least that's a title that my momma gave me. My real name's Charlie." His eyes seem to brighten up as if smiling.

Later on, Charlie and the Black Mokona coming out of the room with White Mokona leading the little spider to Yuuko.

August comes out of the room after they do with a different set of clothes on from yesterday. He pats down his hair on his head with his hands to flatten down. He comes to the room he first met Yuuko in and sees that she is seated on her couch throne dressed in a blue and violet dress with a white patterning on her sleeves. Yuuko is talking to Charlie who is perched on her hand. Yuuko sees August. "So you've finally woke up, August." Yuuko said plainly. Her red eyes focus back on Charlie with adoration for the small arachnid. "Didn't I tell you how cute you are?"

Charlie giggles and skitters about in a circle on her hand and faces back to Yuuko. "Any more of that and I'll have to change my name to Lucas." Charlie responded.

"Nonsense, Charlie is a perfect name for you." Yuuko says as she smiles warmly to the spider. "Charlotte is the name of a very famous spider from a book. Your name reminds me of that a lot."

This made Charlie squeak with joy and skitter about.

Maru and Moro are at Yuuko's side, seemingly admiring the little spider with adoration.

August walks into the room watching the scene unfold before him. The temptation to take a picture of that scene with his smart phone was very hard to resist but ultimately decided against it. August comes closer to the four of them. Charlie sees August coming closer to them.

"Hey there Mister Sleepy Man!" Charlie cheerfully shouted as his front leg waves at him. He faces back to Yuuko. "So seeing as I am here, I just want to know; is everything that I've heard true about you? Like, you can grant any wish?"

Yuuko's expression changes from the look of adoration for Charlie to a more serious expression complemented by her soft smile and half-lidded red eyes. "What you have heard of me is true. I am able to grant any wish you so desire… so long as I get my payment of course." Yuuko says sagely. "So please, tell me your wish."

Charlie's eyes seemed to widen with wonder. Then he thought for a moment, seemingly scratching where his chin would be with his front leg deep in thought. "Well… There is one wish that has been on my mind." The jumping spider said, and then his eyes brighten up. "I want to be just like the first Asabikeshiinh. I wish to be one of the great dreamcatcher makers!"

August pauses to the declaration Charlie gave to Yuuko. His insomnia induced web browsing for many nights have in some ways got him prior knowledge on Native American lore. It had occurred to him that Asabikeshiinh is a figure of legend and origin of how dreamcatchers were made. August now seems curious to know why Charlie the Spider wants to be able to make dreamcatchers to begin with. "Fascinating." August silently spoke.

Yuuko smiles. "Such a sweet wish for you to have, Charlie." Said Yuuko. "Are you able to present to me payment for this wish to come true for you?"

Charlie nods. "Yes I do!" The small spider declares. "One dream that I have that I have completely remembered and cherish dearly. I think it may be something nice for you to have."

Charlie holds up what appears to be a pebble that is very small but upon a closer look it's actually a pearl-like gem that seems to give off a brilliant glow despite its size.

"Can you tell me what the dream you've had was all about?" Yuuko asks Charlie.

"The dream that I've had feels almost like a story. Sort of a vision, at least, that's what my mom calls it." Charlie explains. "Anyway; in the dream, there's a Wolf that has a limp. He was chased away from a pack that has rejected him. The Wolf grew spiteful and hated himself; yet he is sad and lonely as he wants someone to accept him. He comes to a pond to drink but was greeted by his own reflection, a reminder that he is weak as he growls at the reflection. Before he could do anything else, his ears have picked up the faintest flapping sound only he could hear. Wolf turns away from the pond to look for where the sound was coming from. He looks and looks and looks until his golden eyes behold what to him seems the strangest sight to him. A Black Butterfly stood, perched on a red flower feeding on the nectar. Wolf slowly comes to the Butterfly, curious of the insect his eyes now look upon. He at first came very close to the Butterfly but steps back as though he was afraid of more rejection. The Butterfly didn't flutter off; instead she faces Wolf and slowly opens and closes her wings seemingly unafraid of him. Then, Wolf comes close enough to where Butterfly comes on to his nose and snout. Her wings open and close again as she climbs on Wolf's face in a gesture of being unafraid of him. Wolf realizes that he has made a friend that wants to teach him to be stronger for himself and for Butterfly. The Butterfly flutters off and Wolf follows her into the night wanting to stay by the one thing that showed him kindness."

"Aw!" Maru and Moro squeaked in unison after hearing the dream Charlie had.

"That's one heck of a dream." August commented. "Do you know what it means?"

Charlie faces August and shook his head. "Well, Mister Sleepy Man, I don't really know what it means to be quite honest with you." Charlie shrugged with his front legs. "It was a really nice dream that I had."

"Sure sounds like it. I can't even remember most of my own dreams if I have had any at all." August said.

"With this little stone right here, I can revisit that dream over and over thanks to momma." The Spider held the glowing stone proudly. Then, Charlie faces back to Yuuko. "Do you think it's enough to help me in this wish?"

Yuuko nods and Charlie squeaks with joy.

"I can grant you that power to become an Asabikeshiinh. It would take some steps in being a Dreamcatcher maker, but in the end all of that power can be granted to you once you have made your first one." Yuuko spoke softly. She holds her hand out for Charlie to place the pebble sized stone on the palm of her hand to have as compensation for the wish to come true. "I may be able to interpret the dream you've had, Charlie."

Charlie hopped onto the palm of her hand and places the stone there then hops back to the other hand.

August was smiling at the sight of Charlie getting his wish granted, albeit in the most subtle way possible. He then looks at Yuuko, her red eyes were on his brown eyes and her expression a gentle smile. "You are going to help Charlie make his first dreamcatcher. In the meantime, I'll be here in the shop interpreting the dream. Think you can help him out for me?" Yuuko said.

"Um sure, I don't know how to make a dream catcher though." August says as he raises a brow and shrugs.

"Not to worry. I have a list of things for you to get in order for it to be made." Yuuko explains. "The rest Charlie can do."

Charlie hops on to August's shoulder. "It'll be a piece of cake!" Charlie cheered.

Later in the day, August was driving with Takuma in the passenger seat and Black Mokona in the back in a baby seat. Charlie casually sits on August's shoulder. They were heading to a park in the west of Portland to look for materials for Charlie to start making the dreamcatcher that were specifically on the list Yuuko provided.

The list reads:

1\. String. Lots and lots of string or spider silk. Charlie should have that covered.

2\. Weeping Willow branches and make sure it can properly form a circle for the dreamcatcher to be effective. Make sure the circle is in the square.

3\. A feather from a bird. For the best effect on specifics, it can be an Eagle, a Hawk, a Raven, or (and this is if you're very lucky) a Thunderbird's feather. Note; please no plucking the feather off the bird please.

4\. Stay safe in the park!

"Seems simple enough to do on the list." August intones. He holds up a Golden Eagle feather proudly. "Good thing I got this little feather, so that knocks out one portion of the list."

"Sure does!" Charlie said as he looks at the feather.

"Yeah, and all that is really needed is the Willow branches!" The Black Mokona squeaks.

"Too easy for that matter." Takuma stoically spoke with a hint of caution in his voice. "Where we're heading to is going to be very active."

"Paranormal activity, creepy stuff, whatever the-" August cut himself off catching himself before swearing in front of the spider that is more than likely still a child. "hay is in there. I got my charm with me and I have you along. I'm not even the slightest bit worried."

"That's why Yuuko wanted me to come along with you to be safe." Takuma said. "There's more that can go wrong in the forest than spirits."

August nods, Takuma has a point. "Right!" He answers.

As the SUV drove along, they come to a large forest. It gradually got denser as they went deeper; the underbrush on the sides of the rode was thick with green leaves and shrubbery. The trees that loom over the vehicle seem so dense they almost block out the sun with their leaves. It was mostly conifer, evergreen, needle leaf trees that surround them. There's also more than a few broad leaf trees that seamlessly intermingle with the evergreens. The specific tree they were looking for is a Weeping Willow with its long vine-like branches that dangle downward with the small leaves along the branches.

Finding any willow tree in question should be easy enough as far as August was concerned as he has long associated them being close to lakes and large ponds. The thing of it is they'd have to walk to the closest willow in the park in order to harvest just a few branches for Charlie to use for his dreamcatcher. The issue is, the invisible spirits loomed over in the trees like the hungry animals they are, precisely the reason why Takuma and the Black Mokona is with August.

They are coming to a parking lot that's in the national forest. In the parking lot it is mostly unoccupied save for a single van that looks like a storm chaser car. August recognizes the storm chaser car as he has seen more than a few storm chaser videos on the web but he is more confused than immediately worried.

"What's with the storm chaser car in the middle of a national forest of all places? Aren't those usually in the Midwest?" August asks himself out loud.

"Not sure, probably something in the forest that means business." Takuma answers back but seems confused also.

"Oh, they must be looking for Sasquatch!" Black Mokona excitedly squeaks as the rabbit creature bounces up after unbuckling the baby seat.

Charlie looks confused at first then realizes what Black Mokona meant. "They're looking for Bigfoot out there?" Charlie asks.

"Reasonable enough, but I doubt they'll find the champ of hide and seek." August said half-jokingly. Takuma looks at August confused at what he meant. August looks back at Takuma with a raised brow. "Nobody ever has ever seen this guy and brought back any evidence of the big hairy Sasquatch at all!"

The SUV parks in the parking lot of where the storm chaser car is. All of them got out of the car. August is dressed in different clothing than what he had in the morning as he is in a brown vest with a mahogany shirt beneath, he also has a bag just big enough to hold Black Mokona inside for the rabbit creature to occupy comfortably. Takuma is in a red jacket on and Charlie sits comfortably on August's shoulder as he always has since they left the shop.

The four of them took to the path into the park. August looks up and sees that the spirits were up higher in the trees looking at August, hungrily wanting to have a taste of his blood. Despite the sheer amount of spirits in the forest, combined with August's charm, Takuma's presence, and one of Mokona's 108 secret techniques; they were all safe so long as they stayed close together. The spirits in the forest came in different shapes, forms, sizes, textures, and energies. Nearly all of the spirits were lower spirits and the mere amount that follow August and his company were too many to count but with them staying together, the spirits were rendered practically harmless.

August and Takuma stuck close as they tread the trail in the park. The forest is getting denser as they go deeper. The four of them know there's a willow tree within the forest near a lake. It's a rather specific willow tree as it is supposed to give an immense power to channel strong energies of supernatural power, one of which involves dreams.

"I'm not much for asking personal questions to people but can I ask you something Takuma?" August asks. He is growing curious about Takuma and his past, why become a human, and how did he really meet Yuuko.

"That depends on the question, August." Takuma replies.

"Like… how did you and Yuuko really first meet? I heard it was somewhere along the lines of her being at a bar at the time but that doesn't feel like the whole story." August explains to Takuma.

"I was a wanderer; I eked out my living looking for scraps and easy game to catch." Takuma started talking then paused. "She tell you I was a wolf once?"

August nods. "Yuuko did say you were a wolf once to me, yeah." August answered.

"Well then, you must already know that wolves were officially declared extinct in Japan, correct?" Takuma questions August.

"From my understanding, yes. Although, I've heard some stories that they're just hiding in Japan's forests and mountains. Are you saying you're one of them?" August said.

Takuma nods. "I am." He responded. "I was in a difficult position at the time. The hiding places were slowly shrinking and food was becoming difficult to find beyond getting scraps and litter. It wasn't until that I was near the outskirts of a small town that I was to have a wish granted that would save my life. Yuuko was on her way out of the bar and back home with whatever magic she uses to get herself home. Before she had did so she noticed that I was looking from the trash desperate to live. At the time I wasn't paying attention before my nose picked up her scent coming closer to me and it was indescribable, an aroma that would be the envy of all flowers. I knew there was something beyond natural with Yuuko when my wolf eyes turned to look at her. Her aura was powerful and I knew deep down at the time, my life would change. She saw the state I was in and took pity on me and took me to the shop to get my wish granted."

August took in the information on Takuma's past with seriousness. "What did you wish for?" August asks.

"Survival." Takuma stated simply. "My world was shrinking and I knew that I needed to either change myself or fade away with the shrinking world."

"So you became human." Said August.

"Yes and no. I was elevated to become human in physical form but have retained the attributes of my former wolf self, down to the nature." Takuma elaborated. "If you are thinking that I can shapeshift into a wolf and lose my personality in this form, it doesn't. I am not a werewolf; I am just simply a wolf."

August looks about the spirits that were behind him that kept their distance from them. "So why do the spirits seem to react differently to you compared to even my charm?" He asks.

"I suppose I'm more specifically an Ookami in that sense considering that the Japanese word for wolf shares the spelling for the translation for god, little g though." Takuma explained and gestures with his finger and thumb emphasizing the little g.

"Interesting, learn something new every day." August says, he's fascinated by what he is learning.

Before they advanced deeper into the forest, they have heard a distant, loud, and deep cry of an animal. This made the two of them stop and listen briefly. Charlie scurries into August's shirt pocket, scared by the sound. The Black Mokona popped out of the bag to look around for the sound, the rabbit creature was excited by the noise.

"That's a Sasquatch!" Black Mokona squeaked excitedly as it looks around wondering if it would catch a glimpse of the creature.

"Not so loud Mokona!" Charlie hushes Black Mokona. "You don't want all of us to be eaten!"

Another cry was heard, echoing in the forest. This time Black Mokona raises its ears to listen more carefully. To the Mokona's disappointment, it was coming from a speaker. "Aw! It's just a speaker!" The Mokona squeaks in annoyance while crossing its small arms.

August looks around also, now mildly at ease that it was just speakers making that noise. But, curiosity had gotten the better of him. "I wonder if it's the same group with that car." August asks himself out loud.

"Well, I can't say they have any spare time to chat, just as we have a job to do for Charlie." Takuma reasoned. "Let's get ourselves to the tree."

After the small exchange and pause, the two with the Black Mokona and Charlie in tow, resumed their track to the willow.

Eventually, the four of them reached a clearing with the Weeping Willow that stood near a small and calm lake that seems to shimmer with the sunlight. The hungry spirits that were following them were not following them anymore once they've reached the tree's area as it seemed to glow with an aura with seem to swirl and flow like mist and water mixed with Fireflies but was a brilliant shade of yellow and violet. The Willow's leaves seem to sway but there was hardly any wind giving the tree a more ethereal presence to it along with the brilliant aura that has clung to the tree.

Charlie has scurried out of August's pocket onto his shoulder and marvels at the glowing tree. "That's definitely the tree we are looking for." Said Charlie, with his eyes wide and seemingly at awe with the tree's majesty.

The Black Mokona emerges out of the bag and looks up at the tree. "The tree for sure is definitely alive and active." Squeaked the Mokona. It was certainly true, the Weeping Willow seems to actually be alive as if it were conscious of their presence in the clearing.

August couldn't help but stand there with his mouth open just seeing the Willow. Compared to all the willow trees he had seen, this one seemed huge. "I think we can get your wish granted shortly Charlie." Said August. Before he took a step towards the Weeping Willow, Takuma's hand grabs his shoulder.

"Wait." Takuma intoned. "This tree seems to have a consciousness of its own. It's also very likely that it is fiercely guarded by a powerful spirit."

August looks at Takuma, worried about what powerful spirit could be guarding the tree and if this tree's going to inflict something bad on him. "You don't suppose it's unfriendly or even afraid of us… is it?" August asks nervously before gulping.

Takuma looks at the tree again, stoically. Despite his unease, even he was in awe with the tree's presence but he wants to be careful. "I really don't know." Takuma spoke after a few seconds looking at the glowing Weeping Willow. He watches it gracefully sway in the nonexistent wind with the aura.

After a moment of debating on the course of action, August, with Charlie, walked slowly towards the Willow. He was unsure of how the tree will react as he got closer until he was inside of the aura of the tree. The sensation going through the aura on his skin is like a gentle mist. He and Charlie are within the Willow's leaves that dangle down, swaying gracefully. August couldn't help but notice a sound… a sound that is like breathing.

"Hello…" A voice that sounded an old man that is amongst them coming from the trunk of the Willow. The voice sounds ancient, like he had lived for almost a few millennia and saw everything. It sounded gravely and rough with age but there was an unusual softness to his voice.

August looks towards the trunk of the tree, where the voice is coming from. "Hello?" August responded to the voice, unsure if the voice had heard him. He cautiously comes toward the tree's trunk.

"You have nothing to fear from me, child." The Willow reassured August. "You and the young spider have come to me for something, something that is needed."

"Yeah, yeah we have." August answered the Willow. "We've come to create a Dreamcatcher."

The Willow hummed to this. "So it must be your first time, young spider." The Willow spoke; he already knows Charlie hasn't made a dreamcatcher before and has determined that this will be his first time for him.

Charlie nods. "That's right." The small spider chirped.

As Charlie answered the Willow, one of the branches drops down in a bundle. August looks at the bundle of the Willow's fallen branch. "You can have the fallen branch to use as the basis for the Dreamcatcher, little one. You want to become an Asabikeshiinh, like your ancestors before you, it is a spiritual art not often appreciated for what it really can do for the dreamer." The Willow said softly like the breeze of the wind.

August comes over to the fallen branch and picks it up and examines it briefly, the branch was flexible but surprisingly strong. He puts it on the ground and forms a circle with the branch. Charlie hopped down and did what all spiders do, build a web in the circle of the Weeping Willow's branch making certain that it stayed strong and firm. Charlie despite his small stature built his web with a rapid speed all the while keeping care to not make a mistake with the silk of his web. Once the web is finished, Charlie was looking up at August with his legs outstretched.

"Do you have the feather?" Charlie asks August.

August checks his pockets and feels the unmistakable texture of the Eagle feather. "Um, yes I do." August replies and hands the spider the feather to complete his dreamcatcher.

Charlie spun more silk to attach the feather's shaft to the dreamcatcher's hoop with the string of silk. Once that is done, the dreamcatcher then seems to glow upon completion now resonating an energy of sorts.

August looks at it in amazement and was sort of proud of the little spider's handiwork. Charlie hops back onto August's shoulder as he picks up the Dreamcatcher. "I guess we did it Charlie." August said to the small spider while smiling.

Charlie's eyes seem to shine, happy that he made his first dreamcatcher and making it special no less.

August was smiling still until a thought came to his mind. "Charlie, do you have a place you call home?" He asks Charlie.

The spider simply shrugs with his legs in the air. "I don't know to be honest. I sort of wander around and I haven't really gave it much thought."

August took that into consideration for Charlie. "Ever thought of having a place to stay and live at?" August asks.

Charlie thought for a moment, and then he looks at the tree. "I wouldn't mind living with the Willow. He seems really nice." Charlie said sweetly.

August looks at the Willow and back at Charlie. "Really?"

"Absolutely Mr. Sleepy Man!" Charlie replies cheerfully with confidence.

Then August smiles softly at the spider. "Alright then little guy." He said. "Want me to place the dreamcatcher on the tree then?"

Charlie nods.

August carefully places the dreamcatcher on the trunk of the tree and Charlie spins more silk to attach the dreamcatcher on the trunk of the Willow. Then August looks at the trunk of the Willow tree, almost expecting him to speak.

"You do not need to fear for the young spider's safety. Where I grow, here in this forest, is protected by great spirits that will wish him no harm. I will be his shelter for the little one." The old Willow Tree spoke gently. "After all, this is not goodbye for you and your friend. For you will see him again in dreams."

The reassurance from the Willow was enough to make August smile again. He waves his finger to Charlie. "Hope to see you again Charlie." August said. "Might be a while though."

Charlie waves back to August with his front leg. "Like the Willow said, we can see each other again!" Said Charlie, enthusiastically. "I know we will!"

After the two of them exchanged their farewells, August emerges out of the gold and violet aura surrounding the Willow tree. Takuma was waiting patiently for August to come out of the Aura surrounding the tree. The Black Mokona popped out of the bag that sat beside Takuma to see August coming back. August came to them shortly after emerging from the aura.

"How'd it go?" The Black Mokona asks.

"Smoothly, friendliest tree I've met in my life." August said. His eyes seem to twinkle in the light.

The Black Mokona notices this and realizes August was about to shed a few tears. "Are you crying?" The Mokona asks.

"What? No!" August said defensively. He was trying his best not to shed a tear that threatens to stream down his face but he wasn't very good at hiding it. "I just wanted to let Charlie live with the Willow tree and make it his new home!"

"Aww! You gave Charlie a new home with the Willow." Mokona squeaked. "I wasn't aware you were a crier."

"I'm not crying!" August defensively shouted at the Mokona. "I just got something in my eye, that's all."

"I'm not judging." Takuma said plainly although he had a small smirk on his face.

August scowled trying his best not to shed anymore tears. "I'll have you know, I was just about to get attached to Charlie." August said. "But I knew that this place was probably his best chance in living good."

After the three of them made their exchanges, they went back into the denser parts of the forest making their way back to August's SUV. It was a slow track back with the path being nonexistent with only patches of grass and dirt being their path and for whatever reason it felt slower coming back than going in.

Takuma was looking around, something wasn't right to him. He puts his hand on August's shoulder and August looks at Takuma.

"What?" August asks.

"Look around you." Takuma replies.

August does what Takuma says and immediately was curious and slightly relieved. "There's no spirits following us anymore. That's a relief."

Takuma shook his head. "Look and listen!" He hissed.

August raises a brow and then his eyes widened, realizing exactly what he was talking about. The forest was deafly quiet. Something was amiss and this made him scared like back in the Art Gallery. "What's going on?" August finally asks, afraid to find out the answer.

"I don't know but something is following us, watching us." Takuma answers. "We should keep going."

The two of them kept moving through the brush while the Black Mokona looks around from in the bag. Takuma was keeping vigilante of his surroundings, not ready to assume it's safe.

August kept moving forward and a steady pace as he also looked around until he saw a shape in the forest that seemed to dart through the trees and brush. This made him stop in his tracks, afraid to move.

Takuma sees August freeze up. "You saw something, did you?" Takuma asks August.

August simply nodded rapidly. "Yes I did." He spoke quietly. "It's moving very fast but I don't think it sees us."

Takuma pushes on August to snap him out of his frozen fear. "Keep going. I'd rather not have to deal with whatever that thing is in the woods. Let's pick up the pace, but don't run. We don't want it seeing we're afraid." Takuma whispered.

August nods and picks up the pace hoping to get to the SUV as soon as possible while keeping a vigilante eye around his surroundings. For a short while he saw nothing in the woods near the path. That had set his mind at ease thinking that it would leave them alone. It wasn't until some minutes later that he noticed another set of footsteps that didn't belong to either him or Takuma was following them in the brush. He looks around again only to catch a glimpse of a figure. He saw what looked like a wolf's head in the brush only to rise up to reveal that that was a head piece of a man wearing it. His heart was pounding as he realizes that he recognizes that person from some time before meeting Yuuko. He covered his own mouth to prevent himself from screaming. August picks up the pace to a fast walk on the path leading Takuma and Mokona in the bag out of the woods as quick as they could.

"Don't look. Don't look. Don't look." August kept repeating himself as he speed walked on the path.

Takuma kept close behind August. Then he realizes that there were noises coming from up ahead. "August, wait!" Takuma shouted as he cuts in front of August, the hairs on the back of his neck were standing up as he stopped in front of August making him stop.

August was confused as to why Takuma was blocking him only to realize in his dread that the man that was following them went straight ahead of them to cut them off from their exit. The man revealed himself on the path in his wolf pelt.

August at the time didn't make out any details the first time seeing the Skinwalker from before now the details he is seeing he really wished he hadn't seen.

The pelt he wears was a mess and was grotesquely merging with his skin, with his hands at times replaced with claws. His body frame looked frail but the moment his claws touched and left a deep scratch on the tree bark did August realize he was more than capable of killing them on the spot. He gave a smile to the three of them; his teeth were jagged and pointy. His eyes however were the most unsettling for him as they seemed to be an evil sickly yellow color to his eyes. All the while that August was looking at him, the Skinwalker was growling at him hungrily.

Takuma glared at the Skinwalker baring his teeth at him defensively. He also snarled. Despite seeing Takuma in his wolf form once before, he never really saw how savage he could look and was now starting to realize that the wolf part of him, is him.

"His blood… is mine!" The Skinwalker hissed and snarled at Takuma that defiantly stood his ground against the medicine man.

"You aren't going to take him!" Takuma snarled back.

The Black Mokona pops out of the bag and blows a raspberry at the Skinwalker. "You won't even touch him!" The Black Mokona squeaks angrily.

The monstrosity cackles, which sounded like a combination of hyenas laughing and coyotes howling, words didn't matter to him. He wanted August's blood; the scent to him was irresistible to him. The defiance of such a small creature to him was laughable and would absolutely make short work of the creature.

Before the Skinwalker could take a swing at Takuma to get him out of his way towards August, there was a loud deep howl that rumbles through the forest that shook even the evil medicine man to his own core. He looks in the direction of the howl; the Black Mokona does the same as do August and Takuma. There stood a tall shape in the woods that has the appearance of a wolf, only much taller and much stronger than the Skinwalker. The eyes of the creature glowed staring at them.

The Skinwalker looks back at August and the Mokona in the bag, which smiled knowingly as the Skinwalker looked at him.

"See? Told you, you won't touch him!" Mokona squeaked, taunting the Skinwalker.

The Skinwalker growled and shifted to all fours and ran off. "I will have what is mine!" He snarls before cackling then disappearing in the woodlands.

August and Takuma looked in the direction of where he ran off to, then looks at the looming shadow of a beast in the forest just enough to obscure its shape but they knew it was large.

"I don't know about you but I don't want to stick around and see if that big guy is friendly." Takuma said cautiously.

"Agreed!" August spoke up.

August and Takuma with the Black Mokona in tow went at a little quicker pace than before getting out of the forest. As they moved through the trees, another set of footsteps followed them that belonged to the large animal that scared of the Skinwalker, it hasn't gotten closer to the three of them nor has it made any aggressive sounds to them as they moved along. As soon as the three of them got out of the forest and into the parking lot, they made their way to the SUV with the speed of a gazelle to get out of there as fast as they can. They all got in, with the Black Mokona in the baby seat no less, and drove out of there. August looked out the window to see if anything was following them, he sees that in the tree line stood the very creature that was following them, the general appearance of the creature reminded him of a werewolf in some movies. The very sight of the creature made him speed the SUV faster and out of the forest.

As they were driving along far enough away from the national forest, August was thinking a lot about what just happened. "Mokona... how did you know that thing was going to show up?" August asks the Black Mokona.

"I guess I was lucky!" Black Mokona replies with a shrug. "I didn't know that thing was even there."

"I see." August said unconsciously as he was driving. He also couldn't help but think back to Charlie's dream, about the wolf and the butterfly, he wanted to know what it meant and if it at all was related to Takuma and Yuuko at all or something else entirely.

It was a couple hours later that August had come back to Yuuko's shop. The Black Mokona and the White Mokona joyously danced with one another in reunion and seemingly bounced about in play. Maru and Moro were at the door, all smiles as they gestured their welcome to August.

"Welcome back Full-timer!" Maru and Moro cheered in unison.

August smiles back to the two children. "Hello again, kiddos." August greeted back as he entered the shop.

He navigates through the shop's corridor and figured she would either be in her throne room, as August refers to it as, or the veranda. He ends up finding her at the coffee table, her red eyes meeting his brown eyes as he entered.

"You're back a bit early." Yuuko commented. "I see that his wish is granted now, is it not?"

"Yeah, Charlie has made the dream catcher and now lives with the Weeping Willow as his home." August replies. "Although we did speed on back into town, because the three of us saw some real spooky stuff that means business in that forest earlier."

Yuuko sips from her cup of tea, she wasn't at all surprised that he had some issues in the forest resulting him being away from the forest as fast as possible. "I'm not at all surprised that you have." Yuuko stated plainly. She sips from her cup again before looking at his face more carefully and the smile that she wore before turned into a frown. "You encountered something in the forest, and it wasn't just a mass of hungry spirits."

August nodded.

Yuuko then gestures him to take a seat at the coffee table, to which August did.

"This is very important. Don't say what it is, describe it to me." Yuuko said, her tone was serious and concerned.

August knew full and well what Yuuko was doing as she and he knows that names have power. "This person was wearing a pelt, a wolf's I think. He looked rather frail but he was absolutely bonkers strong, his claws left a mark on a tree without so much as brushing it." August said as he shivered at the image of the evil medicine man he had encountered earlier. "His skin… it was all wrong, like it couldn't make up its mind if it had normal skin like a person or was growing fur like a wolf's. His eyes though, they were the most evil shade of yellow I had ever seen."

August by the time he got done describing what he saw was almost shivering with dread. Saying it out loud only seemed to validate what he has seen in the forest, and that made him very, very scared.

After a brief pause, he looks at Yuuko, curious for answers. "How did you know I saw something there?"

Yuuko was still frowning before she heard the question to which her expression changed to a smile, like she's giving him her trade secret to something August wasn't aware of. "I'm able to read faces, Physiognomy if you will. It's a form of divination involving the face that, unlike palm reading, has changing fortune." Yuuko explains.

"So I came back here with very bad luck written all over my face?" Augsut asks now a little afraid of the answer to what Yuuko has to give to him.

Yuuko frowns and nodded.

The Black and White Mokonas hopped into the room, seemingly overhearing the conversation.

"There was another thing that he did see, that seemed to scare him off." The Black Mokona added. The Mokona turned and faces August. "And lucky for you, I am very good luck!"

August looks at the Black Mokona, now reminded that they did see another thing in the forest. "Well, now that you mentioned it, Mokona, there was also something that just followed us until we got in the SUV. Don't know how else to describe it other than a really big wolf standing upright." August explains, still shivering from the sight. "Think like if you crossed it with the Van Helsing Werewolf with the Twilight ones."

"Interesting." Yuuko replies before sipping her tea. Her frown still hasn't left her face.

August now became curious to know now. "Yuuko, before coming to your shop, I was driving back to my apartment complex and sometime in the night, I saw that man from earlier today as I was at a stop light, and I saw you across from him." August said. "I know that was you that I saw that night, your eyes are unmistakable… What happened?"

Yuuko grabs her pipe and inhales from it deeply then soothingly blows out the smoke from her lips before looking at August with her red eyes, now seemingly mesmerizing him like before. She couldn't help but smile as she's fully aware that August likes her eyes. "That man that you have encountered a couple of times, he is the one I am confronting for someone's wish to be granted. That actually wasn't my first time encountering him; it was at a reservation that I went to see someone for a wish to be granted." Yuuko explains. "The sister of the chief in the village confided in me to help the village lift their curse, she begged me to help. The price that was paid was a steep one as it would have involved me greatly in order to resolve things. She wanted it to be gone from the village, not for her sake but for her village's. I had stuck around in the village for the night to see if he'd showed up. He was rather tricky as he at first assumed the form of a lost teenager when I first saw him but upon revelation he was trying to get into one of the houses of a terrified family. What revealed it for me were the sounds that came from his mouth and the power behind his fists knocking on their door. I had come up to him and made my presence known to him. He shifted into a misshapen creature and started the confrontation with me. It was nothing short of a mess and he fled like the coward he is."

"So I imagine he's very strong." August said, now showing a bit of concern for Yuuko hearing that story given to him.

As soon as she heard August say that and saw the concern on his face, her smile widened and her eyes opened up just slightly wider. "On the contrary, I'm way more powerful than he is." Yuuko reassured August. Her eyes returned to being half-lidded. "You shouldn't have to fear for me, I've dealt with worse."

August only realized then that he is still with the Witch of Wishes, he had almost forgotten about this fact as he seems both used to her presence and not used to her beauty at the same time. "That's good to know then." August says as he sighs.

"Indeed." Yuuko replies. "Let's drop this subject for now."

August nodded in agreement to this statement. He didn't want to think about the Skinwalker any longer. Instead, he thought about the Willow Tree. "You should have been there. That Willow tree was a thing of beauty looking at it." He said, thoughtful to if Yuuko wanted to see the tree for herself if she wanted to.

"And you would have seen the look on August's face when he let Charlie live with the Willow." Black Mokona snickers. "He was about to cry!"

"I wasn't gonna cry, for the last time!" August protested to the Black Mokona angrily.

This made Yuuko laugh heartily.

August's eyes were twitching in irritation. He didn't so much like being laughed at for holding back from crying.

After Yuuko got done laughing, she looks at August and smiles sweetly to him. "It's ok to be a little sad letting go of something you're attached to. There's no shame in that." Yuuko said, reassuring him. "Besides, I wouldn't doubt that the Willow you let Charlie live with is beautiful."

August hearing the last sentence come out of her mouth made him feel a little better. "It is." August says to Yuuko.

Yuuko was smiling serenely. "I suppose it's time you prepare dinner, August." Yuuko says sweetly to him. "I'm going to need sake with that too!"

August was smiling then grimaced. "Alright fine then! Pace yourself, I don't want you getting drunk!" August growls before he makes his way to the kitchen.

Yuuko smiles sweetly at August when he makes his way to the kitchen. Then her smile turned into a more serious smile once he isn't in sight. "In a lot of ways, you're a lot like Watanuki, August. Even though the two of you have never met, there are things you two have in common despite your differences. The both of you can see spirits and are attracted to you. You're also hardworking and compassionate like him too." Yuuko spoke to herself, complimenting August when he wasn't around to hear her. She inhales from the pipe once again and smoothly blows a stream of smoke from her lips. She pauses for a brief moment and smiles once again and looks in the direction to where August went. Yuuko gets up and goes into the kitchen to check up on August's cooking, both the Mokonas follow her closely behind.


	6. Chapter 6

The month is June and the weather is spotty with clouds and misting for Portland, it has been a month since August started working for Yuuko Ichihara. The jobs he has done most times were more often than not mundane. Cleaning, dusting, cooking; more often than not attending to her needs which often involves sake and a few other alcoholic beverages. The times that they have a customer come to the shop is both few and between, yet a lot of the time, quite often to August, curious. His first couple customers in his job where Yuuko involved him are simply the tip of the iceberg for August.

A few days after helping the Jumping Spider Charlie, one customer had come to the shop. At first confused about why she had come to the shop but then inquired to Yuuko about her pinky that she wasn't able to move. Yuuko had given her a ring to wear on her finger to help, her issues unfortunately only got worse as time went on. It became her wrist that she had trouble moving, then her lower arm; as soon as she took the ring off her finger as she was driving; her whole body became unable to move resulting in her driving into a red light. She was declared deceased on the scene amongst the few that were injured in the freak accident at the traffic light with many guessing what caused her to do so. The entire time, August and Yuuko saw the noxious smoke coming off of her finger. August had thought her an unassuming individual to have such smoke come off of her but he had seen plenty of it in his life and he found out soon enough when all three of her boyfriends, that did not know of her dating either of them, were notified was when he figured her out.

A full week after the traffic accident, another customer was brought to the shop by fate's hand. The customer had but a simple wish; to be famous, a name everyone remembers. His wish was of course granted but not in the way he had thought much less wanted. He was on tour for another concert that was going to be bigger than his normal café venue. Unfortunately for him, he was not only not used to the amount of attention he receives but also had been stalked by people he merely called his fans.

Even after the two customers, the shop is in a lot of ways still busy. In a lot of cases, Yuuko always manages to find August something to do, partially for the job and in other parts for her, Maru and Moro, and the Mokonas' entertainment. There were only a few occasions where the shop was truly peacefully silent and still, and those occasions don't for last very long.

Today, after a short drizzle of rain in the early hours of the morning, August has come into the shop with hangover medicine in hand. He strolls over to the room August had first set eyes on her and as soon as he opens the door he sees that Yuuko was sprawled on her couch throne with her long black hair disheveled and a mess with her still wearing her white sleeping robe with a look of pain on her face from the hangover. Maru and Moro were at Yuuko's side, comforting their mistress gently.

"There there Mistress." Moro said as she brought an ice pack to Yuuko's forehead.

"Be strong Mistress." Maru said as she brings a glass of ice water for Yuuko.

He comes closer to Yuuko on her couch. "I thought as much." August said softly. "Seeing you drink as much as you did last night, I'd be surprised if you weren't like this now. I told you to pace yourself."

Yuuko groans in pain with her head pounding and her stomach is aching. "You've any idea how long I was waiting for you to come over? This hurts so much." Yuuko weakly groaned. "I think I may be dying a slow painful death."

"Oh don't be dramatic, you'll live Yuuko." Said August. He holds out the hangover medicine to Yuuko. "Here. I'm not a mind reader but my gut told me to stop by at a Walgreens to pick this up for you."

Yuuko snatches the hangover medicine out of August's hand, opens the bottle and gulps down the medicine. She wanted that pain to go away. As soon as she took the medicine, she gagged a little from the bitter taste of the medicine. "That'll do the trick." Yuuko said happily.

"Here's your water Mistress." Maru said.

Yuuko took the glass of water and drinks it until it is empty, washing out the bitter taste in her mouth. "Much better."

August smiles. "Good to hear. Just don't do that again, Yuuko." He said with annoyed relief.

Yuuko stood up from her couch and stretches her arms upward. Seemingly, the hangover practically disappeared after taking the medicine. "I feel so much better now that I feel the need to go out." Said Yuuko as her red eyes glanced to August.

"Oh? Where to?" August asks.

"Outside, to play baseball." Said Yuuko with a twinkle in her eyes.

"Play ball! Play ball!" Maru and Moro sang cheerfully.

"So we're gonna have a day out of the shop then, eh?" August said as he scratches his head. "I'm good for that… except I suck at baseball. Who else is coming?"

"The Mokonas will be joining us." Yuuko says as the two Mokonas bounced over to August's shoulders.

"We're up for some games!" The White Mokona squeaks her cheer.

"Mokona's good at baseball!" The Black Mokona squeaks his declaration.

August learned in his job that the Mokonas do have names as well as knowing full well that they are a boy and a girl. The White Mokona's name is Soel. The Black Mokona's name is Larg. Despite having the names, they largely prefer to be referred to as Mokona.

August looks at the two of them; he was at first confused then also remembers that they have one-hundred-eight secret skills. Baseball may very well be one such thing they can do as part of it. "Right." August plainly said.

"Maru, Moro. Could you two help me get changed?" Yuuko said as she leaves August's sight for a brief moment as well as Maru and Moro following along to assist their mistress.

A brief moment later with August waiting for Yuuko to come out, she comes out all changed and freshened up for the day. She is dressed in a stylized red long sleeved belly shirt with purple clouds on one sleeve with dark grey pants that show off her long legs that has the purple smoke on the one leg on the same side as the sleeve. Her long black hair was worn in a loose ponytail. She also is wearing high heels making her just slightly taller than August.

August caught himself ogling Yuuko in her more revealing uniform that to him looks rather sporty compared to her more elegant dressing attire. He had seen her strong yet thin build before in other clothes many times before. But not quite with as much skin showing off with her belly and cleavage showing.

She chuckles. "You ready, August?" Yuuko asks as she leans on a wall looking at him with her red eyes and her smile.

Almost being mesmerized again by her beautiful reds, he nods quickly. "I'm ready to go." Said August as his face was turning red. He was handed a bag that contained a bat and baseball inside by Yuuko and wears it on his back. "We driving to where we're going or-"

August was cut off as the sliding door opens to reveal not the hallway but a tunnel of blackness that was making sounds that sent shivers down his spine.

"Or we're going through the magical tunnel of nightmares and eternal blackness to get to where we're going." August sarcastically finishes his sentence after looking at the black hole that now replaced the hallway. He gestures at the black hole both in irritation and fear as he looks at Yuuko. "What the hell is this!?"

"Oh it's nothing too special, just my Aurora pathway." Said Yuuko nonchalantly at first then finished her sentence with enthusiasm and excitement. "Was playing a game one day and came upon this thing of beauty. I knew it would come in handy again! So much quicker this way." The two Mokonas hopped in Yuuko's equally stylized bag excited to go on their trip with Yuuko and August.

"So what you're telling me is that we are walking into the Aurora Pathway to get to where we're going for a casual little baseball game?!" August shouted in confusion.

August immediately got his answer when Yuuko starts walking in through the tunnel, thus leaving August no choice but to come with her through the dark tunnel. He had kept close to Yuuko that entire time not wishing to get lost in the tunnel and for safety. Yuuko turns to Maru and Moro at the edge of the tunnel. "Keep an eye on the shop while we're gone, ok?"

"Bye bye!" Both Maru and Moro chirped as they waved their farewells to the four of them.

Minutes after walking through the Aurora Pathway, the four of them emerged out of the black hole tunnel. As soon as they stepped out, the black hole shrunk and vanished behind them in an instant.

"Winded are you?" Yuuko asks as she looks at August with an amused look on her face.

"I think I just saw the singularity when we were walking through that whole thing." Said August with his heart beating rapidly and pounding in his chest. His eyes were wide from feeling like he could have died in that tunnel.

"You're alive, are you not?" Yuuko asks August.

"I think a few years of my life just vanished walking in that tunnel." August said shakily, still pale as a ghost.

"And now you're being the dramatic one August." Yuuko said before chuckling. "You were holding on to my hand the whole way through wanting to stay by me. Even still, you're holding my hand."

August pauses for a moment and looks and notices that he was holding onto Yuuko's hand the whole time now ensuring that color returns to his face. He promptly lets go not wishing to make things awkward any further between him and her. "Sorry about that."

August looks around after the initial scare of the tunnel and realizes that they are in a park. They were at the outskirts of Portland near a neighborhood. August turns to Yuuko. "Is this where we play this game?" He asks.

"Why else?" Yuuko responded. She sits at a picnic table looking at August as she crosses her legs. The Mokonas hop out of her bag. "It's a nice place to play baseball. Besides, the weather is nice outside, we should enjoy it."

"Well, let's have some fun." August said. "Even though I'm probably gonna get my butt handed to me." August takes the bag off his back, unzips it and had pulls out the baseball mitts, the baseball itself, the last thing he pulled out his eyes widened with both amazement and mild terror. He was muttering to himself just looking at the red metal bat that he has pulled out of the bag. He read the Japanese kanji that was written on the side of it that reads Zan Tekken which in translation reads as either 'Steel Cutting Sword' or 'Executioner's Sword'.

"Oh, that old thing?" Yuuko commented to August regarding the red metal bat. "You recognize it, don't you?"

"I heard a story about this thing being used to slice a laptop in half in one of the reddit posts. I didn't think I would actually see this thing up close!" August responded with mild fear of the bat.

Yuuko laughs seeing August's reaction to the bat she had used long ago. "You don't need to be afraid of it; it's only as dangerous as the wielder intends it to be. Besides it's still in tip top shape to play ball. Anyway, let's get this game going!"

The four of them went to a baseball field near where they were. August opted to be in the pitching position as felt he had a very good throwing arm. The Black Mokona positions himself behind Yuuko as an umpire with Yuuko in the batting position. White Mokona has positioned herself as a catcher in the field.

August looks over to Yuuko in position as batter. He was admittedly still mildly distracted by her choice of clothes as she is in position but shook off his thoughts. "You ready for it?" August asks.

"I am ready, August. Now give it to me. Pitch boy!" Said Yuuko, almost sounding like a dare to August to throw the ball as hard as he can.

"Pitch!" The Black Mokona squeaked loudly.

"Swing batter batter batter! Swing batter!" White Mokona hollers her taunt.

August throws the baseball to Yuuko with all of his might. The ball flew towards the model of a batter with speed as August pitched a fast ball. Yuuko smiles devilishly and swings the bat, hitting the ball making a clang sound of her metal bat sending the ball flying beyond the fence and into the trees and getting stuck in one of them.

The four of them watched the ball go flying into the trees and an audible thunk can be heard as the ball got stuck in the tree. "Uh oh." The Black Mokona uttered.

August turns his head as if uncertain if they were going to continue on with the game. From what he sees, Yuuko and the Black Mokona were still looking in the direction of where the ball is until they looked at him with Yuuko smiling mischievously.

"Good luck with that." Yuuko said while smiling.

"So I'm climbing trees to retrieve balls now am I?" August sarcastically asks.

"Yup." Yuuko and both the Mokonas said in unison.

The four of them went over to the patch of trees that the ball was at. August was silently thanking himself that the trees were Oak trees that he had to climb up to get the ball. As soon as they got to the tree the ball is at, August looks to them after looking up at the height of the tree and seeing the white speck, that is the ball, lodged into the tree that stood rather tall for him.

"You serious?" Augsut asks with irritation in his voice. The response he got was all three of them nodding. August gulps looking back up the tree. He had always been good at climbing trees when he was younger and much less concerned about not getting into a tumble, he had confidence enough climbing trees unless the tree in question was over thirty feet high with smaller branches going further up the tree.

August begins climbing the tree, grasping branches for grip in climbing up the tree. At first it was easy for him as the branches were thick and strong and close to the trunk along with them being lower. As August climbs further up, the branches were getting skinnier and more flexible. He has every mind to watch his footing and grip with the branches on the tree as he has no way of knowing if one or the other can support his weight.

Yuuko and the Mokonas watch from bellow. "Impressive. Try to be careful August." Said Yuuko.

"You don't think I'm being careful?" Augsut shouts down to Yuuko from in the tree. "This tree's just bonkers big!"

"I think he's part monkey being able to climb that tree so good!" The White Mokona squeaked.

"Part squirrel! Look how agile he is!" Black Mokona squeaks back.

"Monkey!"

"Squirrel!"

"Monkey!"

"Squirrel!"

As the two Mokonas argued on what part animal he is, August continues to climb up the tree with what little footing and grip he has left. He reaches to where the ball is. He was amazed at how it was lodged into the bark of the tree. "How hard were you hitting that ball?!" August asks from near the top of the tree.

"Hard enough to have a home run!" Yuuko gives August her answer to him.

"Clearly, this ball looks stuck in the tree! I'm gonna try and pull it out!" August shouts and attempts to pull the ball loose with his free hand with his stomach practically doing somersaults every time the tree swayed in the high air. He keeps tugging and pulling on the ball until with one final tug the ball comes out.

"I got it!" August shouts triumphantly before turning into a scream of utter terror as he slips and tumbles down the tree's branches all the way down to the ground and momentarily blacks out.

Moments later, August slowly opens his eyes with his vision blurred and seeing double. He groaned in pain as he was slowly waking up. His head rests on the grass beneath him. Yuuko and the Mokonas were watching over August when he is waking up seeing their faces over him. "Ow…" August groans quietly.

"You're awake now." Yuuko said nonchalantly albeit hiding her worry and relief. She is smiling at him with her mesmerizing red eyes looking at his brown eyes that now opened up.

His vision slowly adjusts and is back to normal. August couldn't help but feel himself be momentarily hypnotized by Yuuko's beautiful red eyes that stare into his once again, making him smile. August felt more than a few bruises on his body and a few cuts when he fell, but at least he knows he's alright. He holds up the ball triumphantly in the air over himself, and then he weakly drops it on the ground. "Got… your ball." August said weakly.

Yuuko couldn't help but giggle to August's small moment of triumph of getting the ball after such a fall from the tree. Yuuko brushes August's blue bangs off his face looking to see if he has any more cuts. Instead of seeing any cuts, Yuuko sees a crescent shaped scar over his right eye brow. "Now, how did you get that scar?" Yuuko asks.

"Believe it or not… I tripped and fell onto the corner of a step on a stair case as a kid." August said. "It looks cooler than the real story behind it."

"That would explain it." Yuuko said before she chortles. "You alright?"

"Alive." August replies before laughing a little before wincing and holding his chest trying to sooth his pain. He sits up, aching and hurting from the fall but the pain slowly went away as he moved a little more. "No bones broken from all of that. Thank God. How long was I out?"

"Not long, just five minutes." Yuuko answered.

"You fell down like that ball in those machines in the arcade." The Black Mokona squeaks.

"That image must have been burnt into your heads." August said, still sitting up. He still moves his body ever so slightly to check and feel if anywhere else is hurting. His back and ribs hurt and his arms were bruised but he feels like he's ok. He stands up slowly with Yuuko standing up with him making sure he's able to stand on his two feet. He stood for a few seconds and smiles widely to Yuuko and the Mokonas. "Wanna continue our game of baseball?"

Yuuko nods, she's happy to start the game up again for the four of themselves. They've made their way back to the baseball field, with the baseball in hand, ready to have a little more fun on the field.

Unbeknownst to the four of them, they were being watched by someone from a car far enough away to not be taken notice from them. A middle aged man with dark but graying hair in sunglasses with an old style twirl mustache is looking at the group, more specifically Yuuko.

"Is that her?" The driver of the car asks. He has red mahogany hair and blue eyes with a goatee. He is looking at what his passenger is looking at. "Is that her, Silas?"

"That's her alright." Silas responds quietly in his deep voice. "It seems she's found herself a partner."

The driver watches with Silas, curios about her and what their next move is. They watched the baseball game the four of them were playing, casually now after getting the ball back taking the game less seriously.

"Do you want to take action, Silas?" The driver asks. He sees Yuuko strike the ball with the bat with the ball landing on the ground a good distance away. She had scored another homerun.

"No." Silas responded. "We don't want to piss her off. We observe and wait."

"Does she have what you want?" The driver asks.

Silas was silently watching Yuuko in the field playing baseball with August of all people, he recognizes him. "Seems her partner's my old high school student from a while back." He said, his expression hasn't changed but finds his interactions with her rather interesting. "How the hell did you find her?"

"The bluenette?" The driver asks Silas with a raised brow.

"Yes. Him and I had a history together." Silas responded. "We never really saw eye to eye."

The driver hummed processing the information. "Want to take action with him?"

Silas shook his head. "That won't be necessary. The Witch is all we are looking for."

"I see." The driver said. "You never really answered my question from before. Does she have what you want?"

"Yes she does. She most certainly does." Silas answers with a dark smile on his face before taking a sip from a large cup of Mountain Dew through a straw.

The car, the two men were in, drove off away from the baseball field to watch them another day.

The four of them sat at a bench near the baseball field, August was exhausted from the game. Yuuko was sweating a little from the game but kept her composure and looks at August. She lightly and playfully bumps his shoulder with her fist. "You underestimated yourself." Yuuko said as she smiles. "You actually faired alright with a bat."

"Thanks." August responded as he pants. "I still think you got the win for this one, you had most of the homeruns in the game. I managed to get a few homeruns along with a few scores."

"That's because Mistress is a master at baseball. She merely took it easy on you in this game." The Black Mokona squeaks then giggles.

"You don't say!?" August said sarcastically to the Black Mokona.

Yuuko leans her head and stretches her arms and hums. "This game has certainly worked up my appetite. What about you three?" Yuuko said, looking at the Mokonas and August.

"Yeah!" Both the Mokonas cheered as they bounced up and down.

"I'm cooking am I?" August asks Yuuko.

Yuuko shook her head. "Not this time. Today's a casual day for all of us." Yuuko said with a smile with her red eyes looking at August. "What's your feeling's on ice cream?"

August gives Yuuko a smile to the thought. "Nice change of pace." August responded.

"Woohoo! Ice cream!" The White Mokona cheered.

Later on, the four of them were at an ice cream parlor shop. Yuuko and the Mokonas waited patiently for their ice cream to be given to them whilst August was at the register ordering the cold delights.

"I'll take a medium red velvet ice cream, a medium chocolate ice cream, one small cookie's and cream ice cream, and a small mint chocolate chip ice cream." August places his order to the cashier.

"Alright, would that be your order?" A younger high school aged cashier asks.

"Yeah that would be it." August chirps his answer before giving him the card to pay.

"Damn dude!" A slightly older teenager, a couple years out of high school age bursts from behind the younger cashier. "Look at her!"

The two ice cream shop employees were clearly looking at Yuuko whom was paying no mind to the two teens that were ogling her. Yuuko's alluring and revealing appearance was more than they could resist looking at her.

August was at first caught off guard by the worker's shouting, and then he was glaring at the older of the two with a very visible blush on his face. "The hell's the matter with you, never seen a woman before in your life?" August barked.

"Woman?! She's a freaking super model, dude!" The older high school graduate responded excitedly. "She's hot as hell man!"

Yuuko could be heard trying to hold in her snickering. She had almost expected this to go on going out.

"How single are you?!" August barks. By the time the payment was made and his card back along with the four ice cream cones handed to him, he made his way towards Yuuko and the Mokonas. She was still giggling with the Mokonas doing their best stuffed animal impersonation practically passing off as such in her bag. The four of them exited the building, Yuuko still giggling at the scene that just happened that now turned into her laughing.

The younger of the two employees was glaring at the older one a little after they left.

Outside the ice cream shop at a bench, the four of them were enjoying their ice cream. August was still blushing from the interactions from earlier. His red velvet ice cream was all in his mind now as he enjoys it.

Later on, after the four of them went about in the area where they enjoyed the weather and it being night time now, they were back at the shop. Both the Mokonas hopped out of the bag.

"We're home!" Both the Mokonas squeak their cheer.

"Well, this was a fun day. Let's do this again some time when we're not busy doing the usual thing in the shop." August said, somewhat surprised that he enjoyed the day out with Yuuko.

"That'll be quite some time before that happens. But, yeah that was nice." Yuuko responded. "Of course, you have work tomorrow."

"No need to remind me." August said. "So, see you tomorrow then?"

Yuuko smiles at August. "See you tomorrow."

August sets off back to his apartment complex with a smile upon his face reflecting on the day. He wondered why his day was so bright. Then it hit him, the spirits didn't seem to bother him much today much less stalk him in the shadows. The only sour spot in his mind today were simply the people that were commenting on Yuuko acting as if they dated or if he was scoring with her. He'll never know human stupidity but it was outweighed by the baseball game that Yuuko had beaten him in.

He arrives to his apartment complex and enters his apartment. He was counting his lucky stars that none of the spirits that prowled the night take notice of him. But also wondered about why the spirits seem to regard Yuuko so differently. He had pondered a lot with the only conclusion that made sense to him was that she has such considerable power that most of the lower spirits would tremble before her, at least that's what he thought.

August could continue to be lost within his thoughts; his phone vibrated indicating a text message. He looks in his text and sees that it's from Markus. His brow raises when he sees a curious message on his phone.

'There's a dog outside my house.'


	7. Chapter 7

In the morning hours in Portland Oregon at a park with the Sun slowly rising up behind the clouds that keep the sky gray, Yuuko and the Mokonas were waiting for August and Markus to show up. It was at the very park they had their drinking party at and is the agreed upon location to meet at since it wouldn't be necessary for Markus to enter the shop. Yuuko had received an urgent call from August last night after he had arrived to his apartment only moments before having a text from Markus.

Yuuko wears an ornate white jacket on with black patterns on her sleeves that slither up looking like dragons and wears a long grey skirt the goes down to her ankles with her wearing high heels. Beneath her white jacket is a black sleeveless shirt she wears. Her long black hair is worn in a ponytail that travels down her back.

The two Mokonas were playing on the playground equipment, practically going all over the place in it. The two never left each other's side playing around on it and were as thick as thieves.

Yuuko waits patiently for the two of them. Fortunately, she didn't have to wait long as the suv parks at a spot some meters away from the playground equipment. August and Markus exit the car and made their way to Yuuko. She gives a sincere smile to the both of them.

"Hello again Markus." Said Yuuko, with her voice as serene as a breeze. Her red eyes were on Markus.

Markus was momentarily taken aback by her beauty again. He snaps out of it moments after. "Hey there, it's been a little while." Markus greets her shyly. "I see you're treating him well lately."

"He's been quite the miracle worker at my shop and is quite a help. How can I not?" Yuuko chuckles softly to Markus.

August, with clearly tired eyes, responds to Yuuko's claim with a snort. "I'm not that good."

Yuuko ignores August's response to her praise and instead has her attention on Markus. "So Markus, I have heard that you have a problem. Do you care to elaborate what troubles you so?"

"This is going to sound absolutely strange, and this has plagued my memory for a long time." Markus starts with a stammer. "I think the Black Dog from England has come back to haunt me."

"Black Dog?" August queried.

Yuuko looks to August. "He is more than likely referring to the Black Shuck, or in other words what you're more familiar with being referred to as the Hell Hound."

This gave August pause for a moment then he remembers having that conversation from before talking about the creature. "That I remember."

Markus shivered slightly at the mere mention of the word Hell Hound being spoken from Yuuko's lips. "That's the one."

"How many times have you seen it?" Yuuko asks Markus.

Markus gulps. "Once when I was really small, still living in England, near a graveyard. It chased me for I don't know how long; I thought it was going to get me when I was running all the way home for safety. When I looked back, it was gone."

August looked stunned at the explanation Markus has given for his first encounter of the Hell Hound. "I never knew you saw that thing before. Why didn't you tell me?"

"I don't know. I honestly thought that it was all a nightmare, a bad dream, something my little kid mind had imagined. I didn't think it was anything more than just a dog after that, until recently that is when I was on my way home from work coming over a hill at night. That same dog… oh God the baying it made when it saw me…" Markus trails off, taking a seat on a bench as he quivers with fear remembering that night.

August just looks to Markus, sympathetically. "Christ…" He said beneath his breath.

Yuuko's expression was more serious with a frown worn on her face. "That's not good." Yuuko said plainly.

August looks to Yuuko, wanting to know answers that he needs to hear. "What do you think will happen if he were to see the Hell Hound for a third time?" He wanted to stay strong but the dread of knowing the answer can be heard escaping his lips.

Yuuko's red eyes look to August's brown eyes, her expression unchanging. "If Markus were to see the entity for a third time, death would surely follow after." Yuuko said solemnly, confirming August's fear. "The Hell Hound is a creature that is very closely associated with death and the dead. In the ages past, they were thought as guides helping the wandering souls find their way to the spirit world. Usually, they tend to stick around graveyards and they usually tend to be at the East Coast of North America and in England. This one seems like it's looking for something."

"You really think so?" August said with his voice a little higher. Yuuko nods to his concerned question.

"It's awfully far away for this one to be in its native range. Something or someone somehow got its attention." Said Yuuko. The gears in her head were moving, trying to make sense of the Black Dog's presence in Portland Oregon of such places for it to be wandering around.

Markus was silent throughout the conversation. He is nothing short of terrified for his life. "What do I do?" Markus quietly stammered to himself hoping for an answer.

Yuuko gives Markus a warm gentle smile upon her face and gives him her answer to him. "Continue on as normal." Yuuko answered Markus. He looks up in confusion looking at Yuuko. "We will have it all figured out."

Markus makes a crooked smile on his face. August smiles widely, he's absolutely confident in Yuuko's ability in dealing with the Hell Hound.

"He will, that is." Yuuko said as she points to August thus draining all the color off his face.

"I was afraid you were going to say that." August said as he grimaces.

"Well, can I come and help then if you can use the company?" Markus asks August and Yuuko.

Yuuko shook her head. "I'm not making you risk your life. I do have someone else in mind that can help."

Later on, towards the twilight hours of the day back at the shop, Maru and Moro can be heard giggling as they played about with their games and fun between the two of them. August sat, puzzling in his mind with the Hell Hound and how best to deal with it; frustration was visible in his expression. Yuuko elegantly lounges on her couch throne, smoking from her pipe, looks at August with a knowing that there needs to be a plan to be taken.

"You know, for a lot of the tasks that you had done involving spirits chasing you, you've handled it quite well considering the charm on around your neck." Yuuko said as she points to the Silver Eagle charm necklace that adorns August's neck. "But, I fear that just like with the ones last month, the charm won't be as effective, not on the Hell Hound of course."

"Thanks for confirming the obvious." August sarcastically said. "The two that I encountered last month were bad enough. This one's basically facing Medusa; I can't make eye contact with that thing."

Yuuko smiles smugly at August. "I did mention you wouldn't be going this alone."

August pauses then looks to Yuuko curiously. "Are you going along? You strike me as someone that knows what you're doing."

Yuuko shook her head. "Unfortunately, I cannot." Said Yuuko. "If I were to be involved, Markus would also have to give me payment."

August's eyes widened realizing that Markus would more than likely be in the same situation he is in. "I think I get the point." August said. "So who's coming with?"

Yuuko points to the bag, a small sized backpack with angel wings on it. August looks at the small bag with a raised brow, doubt was on his mind. "This one would give you more of a protection than that charm of yours." Yuuko stated.

"Alright, so where do I start with this Hell Hound thing?" August asks, nervous about what he is about to get into.

"Well I think you already know where to go. To the graveyard, is it?" Yuuko said whist smiling. "Your nocturnal habits may be of benefit to you."

Later on, in the dark of a foggy night, August now wearing a small white backpack sets foot into the graveyard where he suspects the Hell Hound is going to be at in its haunts. August treads carefully within the graveyard; it's hard to see with his footing as the fog casts everything in a deep haze. August minds his footing near the graves wishing to respect the dead.

"Well, I'm here." August gravely said to himself. "If not for the fog; it would have been a little easier seeing that thing here but I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing."

August was careful to also not try and look for the Hell Hound; he already knows what kind of misfortune it would bring. Then he thought for a second then he remembers the backpack he has and figures that now is a good time to see what protection he has. August opens up the bag only to be greeted by a small black fur ball. It's the Black Mokona.

"Hello!" He squeaks happily.

"Mokona! You're the protection?!" August hissed both confused and a bit upset.

"Yuuko entrusted me to keep you safe and be your eyes so you don't accidently see the Hell Hound!" Black Mokona squeaks in response.

"Pipe down, will you. It'll hear you." August said trying to hush the small creature in the bag. "However, I wouldn't mind having the company here in this place at least."

"Why do you think I'm here?" The Black Mokona replies rhetorically. "Just stand still and don't look for anything."

August understood what Black Mokona meant and did what he was told. He simply stood and lets the Mokona sit atop his head to look around for the creature. He then heard a loud barking causing him to jump out of his skin and looks around. He looked beyond the graveyard and sees the silhouette of a shape of a dog in the fog only to reveal a stray black Rottweiler at the fence with his paws on it, growling at August. August held his hand over his pounding heart as he looks at the dog. He starts to laugh a little bit to himself.

"Holy crap! You scared the bejesus out of me." August said to the dog beyond the fence as he was laughing. Suddenly he felt a small smack that felt more like a pat on his head by the Mokona.

"You fool! What if that was the Hell Hound!?" Black Mokona squeaks in irritation.

"Ah, no harm done, it's just a dog. That darn Lost Tapes series really over hyped this stuff with this type of thing." August said as he stood back up looking at the dog that now suddenly was whimpering and fled off away from the graveyard.

August looked momentarily confused by the dog running away until he heard the loudest baying he had ever heard in his life. He stood frozen still after hearing the sound behind him. His expression went from amused to pure dread.

"That was the Hell Hound wasn't it?" August said with his teeth practically chattering and not moving.

The Black Mokona was looking in the direction behind August. Then he hops into the bag and takes a silver mirror out and gives it to August. "Use the mirror. Have a look for yourself." He squeaks.

August hesitantly looks into the reflection of the mirror and sees the very thing behind him in another silhouette. This time, it's in the graveyard with them and its eyes glow a murderous red against the murky black of its body. August can definitely discern that this was no simple dog judging from the outline and its shape as it looks monstrous against the tombstones compared to the other dog. Its hair looked shaggy and its ears looked almost like large horns on its head. The Hell Hound is growling a low rumble that August felt in his bones shaking.

"Um, Mokona, what do I do?" August asks through chattering teeth.

"Well uh-" Before Mokona could give a response to August; the Hell Hound took a step towards August following it up with a deafening bark now causing August to flee out of the graveyard with Mokona in hand that now is screaming in surprise of August running as he's screaming. The Hell Hound gives chase after them leaving the graveyard.

August now runs through the streets away from the ghostly dog that chases after him. He takes to the alley ways to avoid the Hell Hound that effortlessly chases. The Black Mokona clings onto August with his small paws gripping on his shirt. August tries everything he can to throw debris to slow down the Hell Hound. The Hell Hound came inches to August and nearly sank its teeth in him but missed with a snap of its jaws biting air. August ran for as much as his legs could take him. When he sees with the mirror that he lost the Hell Hound, he takes a moment to rest at a wall.

August felt a poke on the top of his head from Mokona. "You nearly made me fall, you nincompoop!" He squeaks with irritation as he bonks on his head that still felt more like pokes.

"Oh, my bad, I think I nearly died with that thing chasing us!" August growled sarcastically. "It wasn't exactly like I had time to think as soon as demon dog started coming after me."

"Well thanks to you, we have to improvise the plan!" Black Mokona squeaks.

August was flabbergasted. "What plan!? I wasn't told any of that back at the shop!"

"If you'd trust me, it would have been resolved already!" He squeaks. "We were going to get someone to face the Hell Hound also."

"Oh now who would that be Mokona?" August grumbles.

"I had a trap in mind for the beasty!" The Black Mokona squeaks.

"That's your plan!?" August growls.

The Black Mokona bonks August's head again, feeling like pokes. "We would have stood a chance against that doggy!"

Before the two of them could argue any further, the two of them have heard a growling sound coming from around a corner. August held the mirror and looks into the reflection once again trying to see the Hell Hound. Once he has angled it to where he can see, it was too clear for him that it was very close to them.

"Mokona, do you have any suggestions for our next move?" August was back to teeth chattering.

"Well, since you've asked so politely, we get back to the shop. The barrier around the shop would not only block his entry but it would weaken it." The Black Mokona explains.

"Oh, I already like the sound of that, a thousand fold!" August said a little too loudly. The Hell Hound lunges out from the corner just as August dodges it and flees away from the Hell Hound. The chase continues.

The Hell Hound bounds after the two of them in the foggy streets in Portland. Every minute August runs from the Black Dog, it gets closer to him. He runs while holding the Black Mokona in his hands with the mirror. August is running for his life as the Hell Hound gets closer to him and Mokona. It seems like he was doomed to suffer the jaws of the demon dog. However, hope is now in sight for August. The white fence now seems to get closer to him as he runs towards it.

It felt like it lasted thirty minutes for August to reach the shop but being close to death has ways of making things longer than they actually are as it took only two minutes to get there as he saw it in sight. August sees the entry way, and he sees the shop as well just behind the fence.

The Hell Hound was merely a foot away from him now, snapping its jaws trying to get a bite out of August. The hound got closer and closer to him that his teeth practically tasted him.

August makes a leap towards the gateway with the Black Mokona and the mirror in hand just as the Hell Hound leaps after them. August makes it through the barrier. The Hell Hound was met with a painful shock, causing the beast to whine and scream in pain causing it to bounce away from the barrier. The infernal hound stands back up and growls with a fury at August that now lays on the ground face down within the barrier of the fence in the reflection of the mirror before the hound looks up and backs away slowly as if he's now afraid of something.

August looks up in front of him and is met with a sight that can be only described as multiple things ranging from majestic, beautiful, and yet terrifying all at the same time. Yuuko stood in front of August dressed in her black dress, with August now having a better view of the details on it up close. It is all black with the white markings that resemble very stylized eyes for its design and it seems to glisten in the light seemingly making it sparkle. Yuuko wore a hair dress that makes her long black hair go down her back in a ponytail and is flanked by two crescent moon designs on her hair dress. Her red eyes were glaring at the Hell Hound that stood beyond the fences gate. There seems to be a very powerful aura that emits from Yuuko's presence. Unlike the smoke August sees emitting off of people, Yuuko seems to be glowing.

No words were exchanged, only an understanding was met as soon as the two locked eyes on one another. The Hell Hound retreats and vanishes in the fog as a ghostly visage in the night. The fire that was in Yuuko's red eyes has vanished, along with the aura surrounding her, and is replaced with disappointment as she looks at August.

August's eyes were locked on Yuuko's now practically feeling as if he were in the presence of a queen that has little patience for error as he felt himself quiver before her. "Gomen'nasai." He spoke, unsure if speaking in Japanese would mean more or not as an apology for his failure.

Yuuko simply stood before August with the disappointment in her eyes for August's failure on his end to fulfill the plan. She sighs and has her eyes closed briefly then opens them back up and gives him her gentle smile that she has always displayed for him before. She reaches her hand out to him to help him stand up to meet her eye to eye again.

August accepts and stood up. He remained silent and was uncertain of what currently goes through Yuuko's mind. The Black Mokona hops off of August and joins with the White Mokona and snuggles with one another affectionately.

"You learn more from failure." Yuuko finally said. "There is a chance to get to the Hell Hound another time."

"I understand." August replies silently.

She strokes his cheek. "You sleep here for tonight. No buts." Yuuko softly requests August.

August nods in understanding and walks into the shop beside Yuuko through the doors.

A short time later, August lies in the guest bed with his thoughts going a million miles an hour as it always has for a long time for him. Yuuko sees that despite the late hours of the night, he is still wide awake and has decided to stay with him until he falls asleep. Maru and Moro peeked in the room.

"I'm gonna go ahead and assume that had I have not used the mirror in those three instances I've seen devil dog, I think I would have been a goner for sure." August said. "It was because the mirror is made of silver, wasn't it?"

Yuuko smiles. "A good observation, but silver alone wasn't what gave the mirror its special power." She clarifies. "Part of Perseus' shield was used in making that mirror."

August's eyes widened with this fact with fascination. Doubt hung in the back of his mind, thinking back to all the stories in Greek mythology, he knew it would come in handy. "The Perseus?" August asks with Yuuko's response being a nod.

"That mirror came to me from a client a long time ago. It had belonged to an alchemist that had sought for eternal life." Yuuko explains. She then sees the wonder struck in August's eyes almost immediately. "Now before you get too excited, it wasn't Nicolas Flamel."

The excitement vanishes in his eyes and then had a more intrigued expression. "I see." He breathes as he scratches his chin.

"You also have someone to thank for your survival." Yuuko adds.

"Right, Mokona has helped me out." August said. "Think the company helped quite a bit over in that graveyard, especially in the fog."

Yuuko smiles seeing that he has acknowledged his little helper.

Then there is something that has confused August with his thoughts and desiring answers. "I know your deal with the bad medicine man and what not, but why didn't you go after the Hell Hound?" August asks wanting a genuine answer. "You looked like you were about to knock that thing into next week and I can see you being capable of that."

Yuuko frowns and looks into his eyes. "It isn't simply that I intended for the creature to be let go. I actually can't intervene very often."

"Why not?" August asks.

"You've heard much of me online, correct?" Yuuko queries.

"Enough to understand that there's something powerful about you. Being with you in person was all the confirmation I wanted." August responds as he nods.

"Then you would also understand that I cannot simply use it very often and sparingly." Yuuko explains. "I think a certain comic book had said it quite appropriately. I needn't have to quote that myself. A lot of people know it. Plus, I am bound by the laws of the universe with such power."

"I see what you're talking about." August said, now understanding exactly what she means. "With great power comes great responsibility. Yeah, that part."

Yuuko smiles and chuckles. Her beautiful red eyes seem to fill August's brown eyes as he seems to get more tired. He yawns as he stretches himself. He is tired but his eyes still fight to stay awake.

She puts her hand on his head and softly ruffles his blue hair, a reassuring reminder to him that despite all of the stories and tales he had heard of Yuuko and having a rough idea of just how powerful she is. He finds her to be rather gentle and playful when she wants to be.

Yuuko's red eyes still looks into August's brown eyes that slowly got heavier. "Were you frightened of me earlier?" Yuuko asks. "Be honest."

August shook his head. "No, you did not." August answers tiredly. "You had an intimidating presence and at the very first glimpse you had me scared. Now-" He yawns tiredly, having his response cut off. "Now, I know you're a good person in this dark little world."

Yuuko softly chortles as she retracts her hand from August's blue hair. "Get some sleep now August."

August didn't need much encouragement. His eyes slid shut in slumber as he had given her his answer. He sleeps silently in bed.

Yuuko leaves the room and looks to Maru and Moro. "August sleeps here tonight. We'll have to try again tomorrow night for the creature." Yuuko said to the twins.

"Yes Mistress." Both the twins chirped.

In the morning hours with the sun shining through the shop, August wakes up from his sleep. Both the Mokonas seem to cuddle up to August when he was asleep that night. "Huh, alright snuggly sleepy fur balls. I'm awake now."

"Aw. You were so comfy!" The White Mokona squeaks.

"We figured you could use some company in your sleep." The Black Mokona squeaks.

"Aw, well now aren't you two sweet." August said before getting up.

A brief moment later, August exits the room in a different set of clothes as his sleeping attire. He looks for Yuuko in the shop. The two Mokonas hopped out of the guest room in a playful manner, going about to do whatever games they so pleased. August comes to the veranda to find Yuuko sitting at her table.

As ever as she always has, Yuuko is dressed eloquently. She dressed in a blue sleeveless shirt with purple and yellow designs that compliments her dress. She has a glass of lemonade in front of her on the table, half full. Her hair streams down her back. Yuuko's eyes focus on August as soon as he comes to the veranda.

"You're awake at last." Yuuko said to August as he comes to sit at the table. "You sleep alright?"

"Waking up to Mokonas cuddling up to me was a nice change." August said as he chuckles. "I think I actually could have used that bed after that last night."

She chuckles also. "They really do like you." Yuuko said as she places her head on her hand. Her red eyes fixed on August. "Later on tonight, you and Mokona are going to try again. However, the both of you will have some help this time around."

"Takuma?" August asks only to have his answer be known with her head shaking. "Who then?"

"A friend of mine called me earlier today, just before you woke up. She seeks to protect Markus." Yuuko said.

August raises a brow, absolutely confused by this update from Yuuko. "I'm gonna go ahead and assume you've met this one in another bar somewhere."

Yuuko smirks, amused at his assumption. "Not immediately that is. I've met her in India. That place was so scorching hot. I suppose it was more like she got me to the bar to hydrate me. Then the drinking came shortly after." Yuuko said much to her amusement, laughing about it.

"Not surprised." August deadpans.

"She has arranged for us to meet in person. She thinks you are intimidated by her." She says as she drinks her lemonade.

"Intimidated? I don't even know who she is." August was even more confused.

Later on in the high noon of the day, the two of them stood atop the roof a building in Portland. August stood, still confused by whom he is meeting. Yuuko stood in front of August confidently, waiting for her friend to meet them there. August looks at Yuuko.

"She will come." Yuuko said as she held a pocket watch in hand only to place it back in her pocket of the purse.

August stood apprehensively curious to see who would come. He didn't need to wait long; a puff of smoke appears in front of them. As soon as the smoke dispersed, a small log was in front of them. His curiosity was becoming overwhelmed at the sight of the lone log on the roof of the building they stood at; Yuuko didn't blink at the sight of it, only smiled.

"Hello weird human!" An excited voice came from behind August. At first he jumped at the sound of the voice only to be greeted by someone he could only describe as quirky. She wears a green short sleeved shirt and mahogany pants. Her hair was varying shades of blue and her eyes were a bright hazel. Her forehead adorns a bindi red dot. She was lying on her side and floating.

"What in the world?" August gasps at the sights of the floating stranger. "Who are you?"

"Linna Lakshmi Green." The curious girl stated as she levitates in front of August and Yuuko. Her hazel eyes have the snake slit pupils. Linna gives August a toothy grin. "Seems like my big sister already knows who you are, Augy."

Yuuko chuckles to the nickname Linna has opted to give August.

"Is this the friend of yours you were talking about and who's her big sister?" August inquires to Yuuko as he faces her.

"I think you'll see her soon enough, August." Yuuko said.

Like clockwork, a long black and red shadow stretches out to the sky as it rises up from below like a dragon. The face and maw were present on the front end of the serpent's body with wild black hair and red highlights at the ends of them. August stood close to Yuuko, holding her hand, he knows that serpent and she terrifies him. She slithers about around the two of them; her glowing green gaze regards the two of them and a smile forms in her glowing green maw. She intimidates August quite a bit as he shivers in her presence with only Yuuko being his only safety with the long serpent's shadowy body surrounding them as the human face of the creature looks at them. Yuuko on the other hand showed no such fear.

"You know me informally little human." The shadowy serpent's hiss echoes as she slithers closer to them. Her green gaze stares at August causing him to be paralyzed.

"Yuuko… this snake is getting really close." August stutters. He couldn't help but keep his eyes on the serpent staring at him.

The description August describes her made the serpent back away from August. "A snake… am I?" She hisses with her S being stretched out with her evident accent followed by a flick of her forked tongue.

"Alright Nagina, that's enough terrifying August." Yuuko interjects as she smirks.

The shadowy serpent smirks then backs off from the two of them. Her whole body converges into one spot in a pile of coils with her head atop them. With all her body in one place, the shadowy form evaporates into black smoke, what emerges from the smoke has August's eyes go wide with realization. He looks at Yuuko and looks at the now human formed Nagina, he would have mistaken them for sisters if not for the obvious differences.

"So you were following me that whole time?!" August yelped.

Nagina chuckles heartily to August being afraid of her and not knowing who she is in her other form. "Wasn't it obvious?" Nagina said before pointing to her highlighted hair and bindi dot. Her green snake eyes looks at August with a smile. She is dressed in rather casual attire, in a purple shirt and blue jeans with a sash as her belt.

August places his hand on his forehead. "Of course." He grunted.

Yuuko looks at August while smiling. "You're holding my hand again." She teases.

August looks and blushes furiously and let go of Yuuko's hand. Nagina snickered at the sight. "Quite friendly with one another I see." Nagina says with a hiss. "But, I suppose fun times can wait. You and I have a common interest. A common enemy to face. A friend we must defend."

"You want to help us, Nagina?" August asks quizzically followed by Nagina nodding. "How do you know Markus?"

Nagina smiles serenely. "Do you recall him mentioning having an imaginary friend?" Nagina responds with a question of her own. "He had often seen this friend of his throughout his youth in England. I am his imaginary friend, only I'm not quite imaginary."

"What's your stake on him?" August asks with his brows furrowed. "And how come he hasn't brought you up to me yet lately?"

August regrets asking the second question as he sees Nagina flicker her snake tongue out and in with a hiss. "You see, I had my attention drawn away from him for a while and I saw the damage done to him. I intend to resolve it and it appears the Hell Hound has found him also." She said solemnly.

"You can trust her, August." Yuuko finally said to August. She was smiling sweetly to him.

He faces Yuuko and nods hesitantly. "I'm just really scared of snakes." August said.

Nagina inches closer to August and wraps her arm around his shoulder as her green snake eyes looks him in his eyes making him feel paralyzed with fear and making him gulp. "Oh, I promise you by the time all of this is taken care of; you would be so much less frightened of me that you would find me quite enchanting." Nagina hisses teasingly. Her eyes got closer to August and he could have sworn he saw a kaleidoscope of warm colors flowed through her eyes before looking away from them. "I may even help with your… sleepy problem of yours."

He shook in her grip and stuck close to Yuuko, wanting this to be over. "Maybe… next time after dealing with the devil dog." August said as he inches back from Nagina's face. His brown eyes face Yuuko's red eyes, begging her to do something.

"You'll have your fun when all of this is finished. For now, leave him be. You're terrifying my full-timer." Yuuko said humorously to Nagina with a chuckle.

Nagina's kaleidoscope colors disappear from her eyes and she let go of August as she smiles at Yuuko. "Tonight, let's help Markus." Nagina said. She then faces August. "You remember the old Chinese tale of Lady White Snake? I am her descendent, Nagina Parvati White."

August simply stood still slack jawed next to Yuuko, whom is looking at him.

"Quite the prestige, don't you think?" Linna says to August as she skips to Nagina's side. "She's practically royalty herself."

The two bow to Yuuko. "We will do what we can to assist August on this job in ridding the Hell Hound." Nagina states to Yuuko.

"Thank you." Yuuko simply said.

After the exchange, the two of them vanish leaving only August and Yuuko on the rooftop. August momentarily looks around before he truly knows they were the only ones on the roof. He sighs; his heart had been racing the whole time.

Yuuko has her arms crossed and smiles confidently to August. "So, tonight you and Nagina will try this again." Yuuko softly spoke to August. "You alright?"

"Yeah. Snake lady kinda intimidates me a little." August replies shakily.

Yuuko simply chuckles to his response. "She's not all that bad. You two should know what to do. In the meantime get yourself ready."

Night time has come again, sooner than August would have liked but he knows that what he does and what Nagina does depends on it for Markus. He had called Nina earlier to make sure she had given him a ride when he gets off work ensuring that no further issues could come around. The Black Mokona perched on his shoulder as he crawled out of his bag; he looks to the air and sees the shadowy form of Nagina slithering through the sky on patrol. August was looking up also and wasn't sure if he was glad Nagina was around or if he was dreading her. He then looks around the graveyard with his mirror in hand.

"At least now there's a better success rate with dragon lady flying around here in the night." August said just before gulping with dread still looking for the Hell Hound. "Still am unsure of whom I should be more afraid of though."

"You'll be fine, August." Mokona squeaks reassuringly. "She's got an upper hand over the big mean doggy!"

"I suppose, just may as well sit around until I hear the Hound of the Baskervilles over here." August says as he leans over on the metal fence. Then he feels his phone vibrating in his pocket, he takes it out and sees that Nina is calling him. He answers it right away. "Hey there Nina."

"August, we have a problem. Markus isn't there." Nina says in a panic over the phone.

He shoots up and is alert. Eyes wide open. "What? Why?" August worries.

"They sent him home early and he is walking home right now." Nina replies hurriedly. "What do I do?"

"I think that question answers itself; we get to him before the Ole' Black Dog gets to Markus." He said in a flustered voice. "We gotta improvise this plan. We need to hurry!"

With that August hung up and rushes out of the graveyard. He looks up at the shadowy serpent Nagina as she slithers through the sky invisible to all but August.

"I see that the plans have changed." She hisses monotonously. Nagina follows August in rapid slithering motions as August jogs over to the road Markus is using.

Meanwhile in the thick fog of night, Markus walks the lonely road of the neighborhood in Portland on his way home. He was at first unaware but felt eyes on him. He fought every urge to look behind himself.

"Pad… pad… pad…" The sounds of a second set of footsteps were being made behind Markus. They were slow and purposeful, all with malice behind those footsteps.

Markus couldn't help but pick up his pace as he walks faster as he has heard the second set of footsteps behind him. He is getting nervous.

"Pad pad pad" The footsteps picked up pace with Markus. Panting can be heard behind him.

Markus took a glance behind him and was faced with the dark visage of the beast that has tormented him so from across the world in England. He recognizes those glowing eyes against the all black body of the dog. His heart was throbbing at the sight of it. The instant he looks at it, he heard it bay at him and no sooner than it did Markus ran for his life as if he was fleeing death incarnate itself.

What feels like an hour running from the Hell Hound took him less than two minutes to get to his house. Markus swings the door open and in quick succession flings himself inside and swings the door shut before the Hell Hound could even get in the house. He locks the door and barricades it with a chair against it. As soon as Markus did, the door was met with loud banging and scratching and growling.

His two parents came downstairs; both were tired at first but are wide awake as soon as they heard the door banging.

"Mum! Dad! The dog's back!" Markus cries as he helplessly presses himself against the wall away from the door.

His father ran back into the bedroom and grabbed a bat and ran downstairs next to the door that continuously bangs. Markus' mother steps in front of him and is pushing him upstairs as he struggles to budge.

Outside the house at the door, the Black Dog was pounding on the door with his front paws and is audibly growling. He is trying to break in and claim Markus. As the dog slams on the door, a water balloon splashes on the shadowy hound and he turns around and growls with his red teeth showing that looks like fire coming out of his mouth.

August was the one that threw the balloon at the dog and was staring right at the dog.

"I'm looking right at him!" August screams.

Black Mokona bonks on August's head. "Snap out of it! Lead beasty away!"

August didn't have to be told twice, he dashes away from the hound and now is being chased by it himself.

"I got a pretty dumb idea and I hope to God it works!" He shouts as he leads the Hell Hound away from Markus' house.

Inside, everything is tense, all is quiet now. His father lowers his bat and looks at Markus. "What the heck is going on? Twice in one week!?" His father said in irritation and fear.

"The dog… dog is back… he's going to get me… I didn't want it to be real and here it is…" Markus was talking to himself, at times incoherently, with fear as he rocks himself into a panic.

Then there was a knock on the door. His father tenses up and raises his bat, Markus quivers in fear, and his mother urges Markus to go upstairs trying to push him up.

"Alright, who's there!?" Markus' father barks

"It's me, Nina!" Markus' girlfriend shouted from behind the door. "I want to make sure he's ok."

His father eases up and puts the bat down against the wall and opens the door. Nina steps in and sees Markus in his sorry state of panic.

"Nina, what's going on?" Markus' mother inquires curiously.

"I don't know. I'm about as lost and as confused as you are Maria." Nina says as she shook her head. She comes over to Markus.

Markus looks at Nina. He was normally a lot braver than he had been before but tonight it made him feel like he was a frightened six year old boy back in England all over again. He was crying and comes into embrace Nina.

A good distance away from Markus' house, the hellish dog was making chase after August through the streets of Portland's neighborhoods. August was employing all kinds of maneuvers to keep the beast at a distance from him and from losing him.

"August, are you sure this will work?!" The Black Mokona squeaks his query.

"Trust me! Holy ground's going to at the very least slow this sucker down a lot!" August loudly explains to the Black Mokona as he ran from the Hell Hound. His eyes were set on a church as his trap for the dog. The holy building was getting slowly closer to him with each step he is making towards it.

The Hell Hound inched closer to him with his teeth gnashing to bite him and tear him apart for the water balloon. The smell of August's blood was overwhelming to the beast's senses and couldn't resist a taste of him, just as August had planned.

Faster than he would have expected in his adrenaline induced run for his life from the Hell Hound, he reaches the church. He flings the door open and rushes inside the church and closes the big door shut before the Hell Hound gets in. There was banging from the other end but it seems to be much more labored as being near the church seemed to be weakening him a lot. The energy of the church seems to drain the hound's power every time it tried to bang on the door.

Outside Nagina in her spectral serpentine form floats just above the church with the Hell Hound trying desperately to get into the church to get August to have his blood. The serpent flings herself towards the shadowy dog with her maw wide open to bite. He looks up and realizes that the spirit had set sights on him and dodges her strike in time to avoid her blow. After seeing her, the Hell Hound flees the scene and sprints back to Markus' house.

August realizes that the banging has stopped and was quiet. He opens the door slowly to peak outside with the mirror in hand to see if the Hell Hound was outside, it wasn't but instead Nagina was out there causing him to flinch away slightly from the sight of her spectral form.

"Did you get him?" August asks.

"He got away." Nagina hissed in irritation. "We need to stop him."

Mokona looks to August. "Uh oh."

Back inside Markus' house in the living room, Nina receives a text on her phone with a buzz. She looks and the message reads. 'The Hell Hound is coming to the house. Barricade yourselves immediately and don't look at it.'

"We need to head upstairs, now!" Nina shouted.

Maria and Markus and his father looked at Nina collectively as they rested themselves in the living room.

"Why is that?" Maria asks worriedly.

"Oh god…" Markus whispers quietly, he knows exactly what Nina means. "It's coming back!"

Nina, Markus, and Maria all went upstairs while his father locked all the doors downstairs but is standing his ground at the front door with a bat in hand. Maria notices her husband at the door waiting for the dog to come.

"Eustace, what in the world are you doing!?" Maria asks her husband with worry and confusion.

Eustace looks up at his wife going upstairs. "Someone's gotta stop that mutt!" He said gruffly.

Nina interjects. "You can't look at that dog! The very sight of that thing will end very badly for all of us!"

Right as Nina said this, the door starts banging loudly causing the entire house to shake. Loud growling can be heard from behind the door with a rage that is now present in his weakened state. Eustace immediately drops his bat and runs upstairs to join the three of them. The banging continues on the door, the house shakes causing the glassware to crash to the floor and break to pieces.

The four of them huddled into the bathroom with the door locked and were frightened by everything that is happening. The Hell Hound stops banging on the door. Things were quiet. Markus looks up from his spot and looks towards the door.

"Is he… is he gone?" Markus asks himself. He soon was answered with a bay loud enough to shake the entire house on its foundation causing him and the others to scream.

The Black Dog is at the backyard of the house and is eyeing the glass backdoor, a very easy entry point to break into the house. He charges at the glass door only for his eyes to widen and jump backwards in the nick of time to evade Nagina's jaws once again swooping from above trying to get the Hell Hound. The shadowy serpent now sits between the spectral dog and the backdoor. She glares at the hound before shifting to her human form clad in the same uniform as earlier in the day only this time brandishing a gold hilted scimitar, pointing the curved blade at the demon.

"You are much too close to him, beast." Nagina said to the Hell Hound with scorn in her eyes. "Turn back now and end your hunt, this is a fight you will lose in."

The Hell Hound snarls and was pacing back and forth in front of Nagina in irritation of being blocked from his quarry. He lets out a thunderous bay like a battle cry and charges at Nagina while she takes a defensive stance readying to strike back.

Away from the battle that can be heard coming from the back, August is at the front yard of the house finding his way in through one of the windows. He sees that a window towards Markus' room is cracked open enough where he can enter his room. Then he sees the tree that sits right in front of the window with easier access with the rooftop sloping down smoothly enough to where he can have his footing.

The Black Mokona is with August looking at the window, the tree and its branches, then to August looking at where he is going. "Just don't fall like last time, George of the Jungle." He squeaks humorously and giggles.

"Don't remind me what happened that time at the park, Mokona!" August barks irritably.

He then goes up to the tree and begins climbing up the tree methodically, traversing the branches and minding his footing. He has climbed up the tree rather quickly knowing that timing is of the essence to get to Markus before it does. He comes to the branch that reaches out towards the roof of Markus' house and window. He makes a small leap to the roof landing on it easily, he comes and opens the window, and then he crawls through it. He shuts and locks the window upon entry.

He is in Markus' room that is filled with memorabilia of pictures of bands, soccer teams, and pictures of his own artwork. At a wall on the table in a large black box shaped enclosure that houses a Boa Constrictor with the enclosure labeled Little Lucy. The snake in question was looking right at August from inside the cage. This made August shiver slightly as he sees the snake looking at him as he rushes past her enclosure.

"Pretty snakey!" The Black Mokona squeaks a compliment to Lucy.

"Nope!" August shouts as he exits the room with Mokona on his shoulder and promptly shutting it behind him. "Markus, it's me, I'm inside!"

As soon as August is in the upstairs hallway, he hears a crash of glass from downstairs coming from the backdoor. His eyes widen and he rushes to find Markus to protect him.

"We're in here!" Maria's voice shouted from inside the bathroom. August rushes to the bathroom door and gets inside to join with everyone inside it.

"How'd you get inside?" Nina inquires August.

"I climbed the tree in the front yard and went through a window." August responds as he comes to the back of the bathroom with everyone inside.

There is a series of loud noises going on in the house downstairs with the Hell Hound ransacking the place looking for Markus and the fight going on between it and Nagina. With the hound irritated in not finding Markus downstairs, he goes upstairs to find him in a rush. In front of the bathroom door with its shadow casting through the seam beneath, he sniffs inside and could smell August's blood; it didn't seem to notice Markus was in the bathroom with August. Markus was still paralyzed with fear curled up in a corner of the bathroom next to the shower stall. The shadow moves away from the door but the footsteps rush towards Markus' room.

As soon as Markus saw where the shadow was going and heard the door being banged on to open up for the Hound, he felt anger build up inside him and rushes towards the door. August was momentarily struck off guard by the sudden courage Markus is having against the thing that scared him in his childhood.

"Markus, wait!" August shouts out to him and reaches for his friend.

"That damned dog better not hurt my Lucy!" Markus roars as he opens the door widely and glares at the dog only to realize he has made a fatal mistake as he was stuck looking right at the dog that now looks back at him. He stood dead still in the moment he locked eyes on the Hell Hound, he didn't dare blink even though his eyes were hurting and screams for him to shut his eyes. Markus is but a deer caught in the headlights of the Hell Hound.

The Hell Hound slowly approaches Markus with every menacing step it took towards him.

"Pad pad pad." Its steps grew closer to Markus, who is now helpless and didn't dare move an inch. He sees the dog practically smile at him.

He couldn't help but stare at it until he is but a couple feet away and he couldn't hold it in any longer and screams. The Hell Hound leaps right for Markus with jaws wide open and ready to tear his prey apart. Just as the Hell Hound leaped at Markus, a rush of colors and a sword push straight back at the Hound, stabbing it and cutting the spectral hound down the middle with quick succession. Just as it happend, the hound disintegrates into dust, and the dust simply vanishes as they touch the ground.

Nagina stands in front of Markus whom moments ago was about to die. She is hyperventilating from the fight she had with the Hell Hound. She pants and is slowly calming herself down with her breathing, she sheaths her scimitar on her sash. She looks at Markus, wanting to know if he is ok.

Markus stood stiff and still for a brief moment practically seeing his life flash before his eyes before snapping himself out of it only to realize that Nagina stands in front of him, he's saved. He collapses on his knees and smiles and cries with joy. Nagina comes over to him and hugs him.

August comes out of the bathroom as with everyone else and sees Markus and Nagina together in a hug. Maria sees the black and red of the woman's hair and instantly recognizes her and puts her hands over her mouth to cover her gasp. Eustace looks at Maria and looks at Nagina in confusion.

"What's wrong?" Eustace asks, scratching his head.

Maria looks at her husband. "You don't see it, do you?" Maria spoke silently to Eustace. "It's true, all of it. That woman's real."

August looks to Maria and Eustace, taken aback by their first meeting with Nagina only to realize they may have not formally met Nagina at all save for the few pictures he had displayed for them to see back in his school years.

Nina was stunned to even see Nagina also. She had never seen the woman before in her life, yet she couldn't help but feel a strange sense of familiarity with her like she has seen her before somewhere but couldn't put it together how.

Reading the room; the Black Mokona taps on August's cheek with his small paw, to get his attention. "They're going to have a lot of talking." Black Mokona squeaks.

"Oh I know." August responds. "Those therapy sessions my High School science teacher did on Markus has failed spectacularly."

He stands and sees Markus' parents come up to Nagina in greeting and were dumb struck by her presence confirming that she is indeed very real to them now.

August looks over to Nagina. She nods to him she knows that this will be easier to explain coming from her. Then she faces to Markus' parents with a warm smile upon her face ready to explain things to them.

August comes downstairs only to see that it looks like there's no mess from a fight. Linna stood present, and as soon as she sees August and Mokona she gives him a toothy smile. "Good thing you weren't down here earlier, it really was a mess." Linna said.

"That's, um, good." August looked around the room, still a little taken aback by how it doesn't look like anything happened in it. "Is everything good now?"

Linna gives August a thumb up and a wink. "The job is taken care of now, although, if I were you, I'd be getting back to Yuuko right about now." Said Linna.

Later on in the foggy night, back at the shop at the veranda, Yuuko and the White Mokona were drinking sake together, the fireflies are out. Maru and Moro were outside chasing around the fireflies that flew lazily in the air. August comes out into the veranda with the Black Mokona on his shoulder, as soon as the Black Mokona saw the sake he bounces off his shoulder to get a few drinks.

"Oh goody, some sake for me too!" The Black Mokona squeaks happily as he joins the others in drink.

Yuuko is in a night dress that is almost entirely white save for a few gold tassels that adorn the waist. Her long black hair is worn up in a hair piece holding her hair up that slithers down.

August looks and looks to the area in front of them and nods then shrugs. "Fireflies, how could I forget." August sarcastically spoke.

Yuuko turns to face August with her smile on her face. "Seems you've taken care of the Hell Hound alright with Nagina." Said Yuuko, knowing that all is well now.

"Oh yeah, nearly died a couple times but that goes with a few other spirits that tried to do the same." August said dryly. He sits at the veranda Yuuko and the Mokonas are at drinking sake and helping himself to a drink knowing that he needs it to calm his nerves. "But I'm glad the issue with the Hell Hound is resolved with Markus safe and sound now."

"That's good to know." She says before taking a sip from her sake.

August also took a sip of sake before speaking. "I pretty much saw Nagina and Markus in the same room together for the first time. She must have really cared about him."

She hums, in thought. "I see."

August, also in thought, couldn't help but look at the fireflies that blink in the air. He was thinking about everything that has happened in the couple days of this situation with the Hell Hound. Seeing Nagina, Markus' fear of the Hell Hound, why it suddenly jumped an ocean just to get to Markus. His thoughts were on traveling at light speed thinking about the situation. He then was thinking about earlier, way earlier for that matter, about everything.

He then felt a bump on his shoulder from a gentle hand. Yuuko noticed he was frowning while he was thinking. "Are you ok up there, August?" She asks as she taps her finger on August's head.

"Was I frowning? Sorry about that." He replies after trying to smile. "I was thinking about the whole situation. It all seems out of context, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense."

"About how the Hell Hound came all the way from England to get after Markus and why it specifically went after him until the hound smelled your blood? It certainly doesn't make a whole lot of sense without context." Yuuko said before taking another drink from her sake cup. "But, I think I do have a theory."

August looks at Yuuko, now both intrigued and worried. "What's your take on this?"

"Think about it, how a guardian of the graveyard could suddenly go rouge and jump an ocean just to go after Markus?" Yuuko asks August, with an answer that she is satisfied with already in her mind. "What do you suppose the context of that may be?"

August scratches his chin for a brief moment. Then his eyes widened with disbelief and horror. He isn't certain if it was correct in his thinking but he wants to hear it from another person to confirm his thoughts. "I don't know." He lied to himself, half to not have to be the one to say it and half to not confirm his own suspicions.

Yuuko leans to August, she is frowning this time. "I think you know that as well as I do of the context of everything that transpired for those two days." Yuuko said solemnly. "Someone sent the hound after Markus."

August turns his head to Yuuko slowly. "Why would anyone send the Hell Hound after Markus?" August asks now with one fear being confirmed. "Why would anyone want to hurt Markus with such a twisted fate?"

"Now that's a mystery on its own that needs to be solved." Yuuko replies to August sagely. She sees August's fists clenching shut, his silent rage being visible to her. "Save your energy. We don't know who the person is that sent such a being after Markus let alone have him dead. As far as I'm concerned, this little rabbit hole may be a lot bigger than the Hell Hound and much more than you could handle."

"Hey, I'm game for such stuff like this!" August retorts. "I practically look up conspiracy theories on a nightly basis. There might be an answer that makes some kind of sense."

Yuuko chuckles to August's determination. "And what exactly are you planning to do by the time you know the answer to what is happening?"

August pauses and holds his chin beneath his fingers. "Well… you got me there." He said in defeat.

"You've done a fine job tonight with the Hell Hound though." Yuuko said as she smiles at him with her red eyes looking at him.

August was still feeling sour about not being able to do anything for Markus for the time being but he smiles knowing that for now he is safe. "Thanks." He replies.

After a short session of drinking, August opts to head back to his apartment and sleep for the night in his bed. He is in his apartment and has almost out of habit gone straight to the keyboard and started browsing. He still wanted to find answers for what had happened in the events with the Hell Hound. He in no time fell asleep on his keyboard after hours of browsing for conspiracies that make the most sense, none of them did.


	8. Chapter 8

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April 25th

Ms-Guru-San:

Reaching out to everyone, want to see how everyone is doing and what you are up to in your lovely little lives. For me, it's a quiet time for me and my work. Haven't had many customers in a while, not since last couple of weeks at least. Having fun with the girls and playing some games with my pals to pass the time until another comes along. It's been a long April.

XDrDankX:

I'm just living life so far. Just gonna volunteer as mod if that's alright with you.

Ms-Guru-San:

Much appreciated. I missed you in the party.

XDrDankX:

Sorry about that. Work sort of got in the way. Some shit's been going on and had to take care of it. Not easy when the day you want to celebrate on only ends up bringing the stupid out from all of us.

Ms-Guru-San:

I understand fully. Still plenty of sake left if you want to take a bottle home. Surprised I haven't drank it all myself… yet. LOL

XDrDankX:

I'll come around and pick one up when my mental state needs it.

MisterChief:

You all drinking while I'm just sitting here flipping through memes?

XDrDankX:

LOL Not exactly. At least not me.

Ms-Guru-San:

Is this a personal attack? LOL Close but not quite. I'm sober with a bottle of sake next to me. How have you been lately?

MisterChief:

I'm doing quite alright with myself other than the rain coming down where I'm at. Shop's quite alright for the most part. New York kinda sucks at the moment.

Ms-Guru-San:

Is it because of the habits going on down there?

MisterChief:

The habits I can deal with, same with spirits. Guru, some shady crap is going on.

XDrDankX:

Isn't there always some sort of shady crap going on in New York?

Ms-Guru-San:

I'm interested in hearing about this.

MisterChief:

You remember back in 1999 with that incident that almost messed the world up for everyone? Well, there are people going missing as well as some weird stories floating around about an animal of some sort… that or they think it's an alien. Point is, some nut job is operating crap again and I don't know what their up to.

Ms-Guru-San:

I see.

XDrDankX:

Wait, I thought it was broken and un-operational.

MisterChief:

That's what I've been thinking also. Seems like we weren't paying close attention to how that machine is doing. I've been hearing about glitch stories for some time now. Have any of you experienced any yourselves as of late.

XDrDankX:

Not myself personally but some cases have been getting a bit more on the bizarre side as of late.

Ms-Guru-San:

Where the universe seems to not work as intended to for a brief amount of time? I've at least had a couple of cases where it happened to some customers previously a few weeks back, I have suspected something to be a miss. So far, I am waiting for the right moment to do something about it; we can't simply rush in and put a stop to it. It is all a matter of waiting for someone to show themselves to one of us.

MisterChief:

But, what if he doesn't show up at all? What if it's your previous apprentice? I've seen that crazy guy do something like that before almost threatening the balance of the universe.

Ms-Guru-San:

I admittedly don't know. These events, despite how vast they are, they're quite subtle. This looks to be the works of an amateur trying to replicate such power. We can't jump to any conclusions until we have definitive certainty that he's behind this.

-x-x-x-

May 2nd

MrFeather:

ISO a former boss that I highly suspect is running this post. Tortured the hell out of me for years, gave me crap for having puppy love over a girl in high school, she was also wearing shipping goggles around a guy that really pissed me off.

Ms-Guru-San:

~ Oh Mirror! Oh Mirror! Mr. Mirror! ~

MrFeather:

How old are you again?

Ms-Guru-San:

You know it's impolite to ask a woman her age passed 30, April Fool. Never in my life would I expect you to dabble in the deep web. Seen something that disturbed you?

MrFeather:

I'm not stupid, at least not that dumb anymore. Plus I was actually looking around hoping to find you again. Five years now since you've left.

Ms-Guru-San:

Neither am I. They don't call this the Dark web for no other reason. Already missing those days when you were working for me?

MrFeather:

Well there's that and just seeing you again in general. Like, where the heck did you go?

Ms-Guru-San:

United States, Oregon. I can't be too specific for obvious reasons on this platform but I am sure you can guess where I am at.

MrFeather:

All the way across the Pacific?! How did you move everything over?

Ms-Guru-San:

Magic. ~

MrFeather:

Figures.

Ms-Guru-San:

Ever thought to come by and see me some day since now you know where I am at?

MrFeather:

I have… but all the way across the Pacific though. I don't know.

Ms-Guru-San:

Don't tell me; you forgot a few tricks I taught you? Of course, you could always bring the One Hundred Eyed Demon with you.

MrFeather:

Hardy-har-har I am well passed that shit.

Ms-Guru-San:

Awwww but it would be fun to bring the group back together.

MrFeather:

Well, if it means having it like old times then I would absolutely welcome that then. Just don't tell him about it.

Ms-Guru-San:

Oh, you know I wouldn't make any promises in that department. LOL

-x-x-x-

May 4th

Ms-Guru-San:

It is a little passed midnight right now and it certainly is late for anyone else in this circle but I think things are going to be a lot livelier at the shop. I have a fulltime worker now.

XDrDankX:

Hold on. How did this happen?

Ms-Guru-San:

Hitsuzen has brought him to me.

XDrDankX:

Hitsuzen?

Ms-Guru-San:

I am saying it was fate that brought him to my shop. His wish is for the world to be better. Kind of reminds me of MrFeather a bit.

MrFeather:

Just had breakfast and I come to this with a full-timer being a thing? This a new person you're torturing now?

Ms-Guru-San:

Hardly. LOL I actually did him a favor making him my fulltime employee, he lost his job almost immediately before coming to my shop. You'll have to meet him.

MrFeather:

Well now, hope the guy pulls his weight with you being his new boss and all. I'm going to go ahead and take to the assumption that you got him to go shopping for food as celebration for his employment?

Ms-Guru-San:

Exactly LOL although I think your food is better than his by a long shot but he's definitely a trier. Anyway, I need to get some sleep. I have work to do tomorrow.

-x-x-x-

June 5th

Ms-Guru-San:

Well now, that was an eventful few days. I had to get my full timer to deal with a Hell Hound of all things for a friend of his.

MrFeather:

Woah, is he ok?

MisterChief:

Hell Hound, I didn't think any of those things came across the pond let alone to the West Coast. What the hell happened that attracted an Old English spirit to the West Coast?

Ms-Guru-San:

He's fine. He went home just a little bit ago but I feel like he is going to be up all night investigating things. However, we both came to the same conclusion; someone sent that Hell Hound.

MrFeather:

I've encountered all manner of spirits and demons in my life. I've never quite heard of anyone sending a spirit after someone, Hell Hound of all things. I know I haven't made any such commands with some spirits and demons. I still get picked on by that Rain Sprite.

Ms-Guru-San:

You'd be surprised. Some people have communed with spirits; very rarely do they do so often, let alone send one after someone.

MisterChief:

You think this is the work of a Necromancer? Seems up there but it fits.

Ms-Guru-San:

I doubt it. Because if that were the case why go through the trouble of sending a spirit after someone very far away? Now that is if the said Necromancer knows his friend or at least is involved in it with someone that knows his friend. This rabbit hole could get plenty deep.

MrFeather:

Question is who would want to hurt him with a spirit?

Ms-Guru-San:

That is a question that will be answered in due time. I don't want to worry my Full Timer too much as there's also another that stalks him in the woods and he is a much more immediate threat to him than whoever sent the Hell Hound.

MisterChief:

Oh yeah, that Skinwalker you've been dealing with for months since the reservation job. You don't mean he's stalking your worker now right?

Ms-Guru-San:

He's very attracted to his blood. That Skinwalker has been giving me a little trouble tracking him down since he blends in with the crowd in the day time taking the most mundane appearance possible to blend in. His eyes however don't really change since they are permanently yellow.

MrFeather:

Um… what's a Skinwalker? Is that like a spirit?

Ms-Guru-San:

Medicine men that can take the shape of an animal and can at many times also shift into another person even mimic voices. How they gain these powers is truly vile. This particular one had murdered an infant and his wife to gain such a feat according to my client that wished for me to rid him of the village.

MrFeather:

Good lord… that's evil…

Ms-Guru-San:

Nothing I haven't seen before. More often than not, he flees at the very sight of me.

MrFeather:

This is the first time I've heard you attempt to kill someone before. Isn't that your big no no?

Ms-Guru-San:

Never said I was going to kill him. You of all people should know better since I told you so in person. Death weighs heavily on the Universe.

MrFeather:

Yeah… you still scared the hell out of me with that though.

Ms-Guru-San:

Still not over me saying I would take someone's soul? LOL Still loved your stupid crab walk.

MrFeather:

Meh, anyway, I got work to do. Bye!

MisterChief:

Well at the very least you seem to be on top of things over there.

Ms-Guru-San:

I need you to do me a favor, MisterChief. When you are able to, I just need information on who sent the Hell Hound.

MisterChief:

Planning on giving someone an earful? Or are you sending someone to the Shadow Realm?

Ms-Guru-San:

LOL That's going to depend on who that person is and what their intent was. Keep me posted.

MisterChief:

Got it!

-x-x-x-


End file.
